Walk the Same Path II
by Mark629
Summary: Almost a year after the events in WSP1, Ami is ready to take on a big project. Join her and her friends as they make their foreign performance debut in Australia! All of your favorite characters from the anime are in college now. And, as always, I do not own Toradora!
1. Chapter 1 - One Step Ahead

**Friday early afternoon, February 25th – Waseda University, Tokyo Japan**

* * *

Waseda University is a sprawling campus with a very active student body. There are very few sports that weren't represented by a collegiate team and because of that, a high number of national champions and Olympic athletes called this place their alma mater. Minami Umeko was one. She had almost been on Japan's Olympic team for softball, and still enjoyed the sport despite her current profession as a Green Line stewardess. The college hadn't changed much since she had been there, which was fortunate since she and Kushieda Minori were currently running at truly dangerous speeds across the length of the campus.

It would have been safer if they had run on the marathon track that wrapped around the perimeter of the campus property, but this wasn't just exercise. They needed to be somewhere quick and they didn't waste any time on circuitous paths. Indeed, they cut through buildings and courtyards. Racing through hallways, leaping up staircases, bounding over obstacles and people, and seemingly taking flight as they jumped down entire stairways. A few staff, teachers, or campus police tried to get them to slow down, but their efforts were ignored by the two girls as they streaked by.

If someone had kept track of their run, they would see that the two had started on the baseball and softball fields at one end of the campus and were making as straight a path as possible for the martial arts and educational sports building. Specifically, they were on their way to the Kendo arena.

"Taiga!" they both cried out as they crashed through the doors into the arena. Several people reacted with a start, but most of them were dulled to someone suddenly yelling. After all, there was a lot of yelling in Kendo.

"Aisaka-san is in the girl's dressing room." one of the students told them in an amused voice.

"Thanks!" they both started to run… in different directions. When they stopped and realized that neither of them knew where the dressing rooms were.

"That way." the student pointed to a set of double doors on the other side of the performance area.

"Thanks!" they both said as they started toward the doors.

"Go AROUND the performance mats please!" the student sounded irritated now.

"Sorry." they both said in unison again as they sped around the mats and headed for the dressing rooms. A hallway led a short distance to where they could turn right and go through red curtains, or turn left and go through blue curtains. Minori went through the red curtains, but Umeko turned the other way and came to a surprised stop just inside the blue curtains. Her face turned crimson when she was suddenly face to face with several boys in varying states of undress.

"Why…" Minori was about to ask her friend why she went into the boy's locker and dressing room.

"Don't!" Umeki said through her rampant blush and tight lips, "That… didn't happen."

"Fine, but let's go!" Minori insisted so that her friend would start moving faster again. But, they didn't have far to go. Taiga was still laying her gear out on a table when they got into the room.

"Minorin!" Taiga bounded over to her pink haired friend as soon as she saw her and jumped into her arms for her signature hug. But then she jumped back just as quickly. "Eww! Why are you all gross and sweaty?"

"We… we ran all the way here! Why are you still in here? Your match is supposed to start just five minutes from now! You didn't give up, did you?" Minori demanded.

"Hell no, I didn't give up!" Taiga's own ire was riled at that outlandish suggestion, "The Karate match went long. Our start time got moved back three hours. I… I sent you a text."

"Ah… heh heh." Minori laughed nervously and scratched her head. After what had happened the previous year, not checking your messages or responding to them – had become a grievous offense with Taiga. Sounding as apologetic as possible, Minori told her short friend, "We both started running as soon as my game was over. I… didn't look at my messages."

"Oh!" Umeko realized that she had both of their cell phones in her small backpack. Pulling it off, she quickly handed Minori her phone while checking her own for messages.

Sure enough, Minori's phone had a message from Taiga about the delay. But Umeko's phone had a message from Ryuuji-sama.

RYUSAMA: I know you wanted us to come to Taiga's match and we really wanted to, but there just won't be enough time to make it there after the girl's get out of school and Ami gets back. But please let me know when the next competition is. We would love to see Taiga perform again.

With a playful smile, she wondered if he might be able to make something happen if he had three more hours.

ZOOMY-UME: There is a three hour delay due to another competition. Show me what you can do, Ryuuji-sama!

Still smiling, she closed her phone and wondered if he would take the bait.

"Well… it looks like you two have enough time to take a shower now." Taiga gestured to the showers at the back of the locker room.

"We don't have a change of clothes though." Umeki pointed out.

"Not to worry, I've got that covered." Taiga said as she pushed her two friends toward the shower area, "Just give me your clothes and I'll get you something perfect. Don't worry about a thing… I've got this covered."

.

 **Friday afternoon, February 25th – RAAF Amberley - Ipswich, Australia**

* * *

"WALKER!" a voice boomed out from the other end of the hangar, "What the hell did you do?"

Walker is a fairly common name in Australia. Because of that, several people put down their tools and came to attention when they heard the shout of the burly Flight Lieutenant. Others didn't come to attention, but they stopped what they were doing to see if they might be in danger of getting caught up in whatever stupidity this Walker must have committed. Previously noisy with the sounds of aircraft maintenance and equipment installations, the huge room became eerily quiet except for the sound of the big lieutenant's heavy footfalls. He was a rather portly middle aged man, but there wasn't a person in the unit that would challenge him. He had the personal strength and the authority to beat someone senseless if they were screwing up, but he was not a bully. Firm but fair, he would defend his people if he thought they were innocent, but he would be merciless if they let him down.

As he crossed the hangar and passed the first person named Walker, an audible sigh could be heard as he and his team relaxed a bit. But the other two Walkers felt their stomachs knot up a little tighter. The second Walker was a young Aircraftsman… who all but fainted when the angry looking lieutenant passed him by, too. There was a bit of clamoring as his mates stepped up to catch him before his head hit the hard concrete floor of the hangar. So, with both of the other Walker's in the unit behind him, the only one left was the tall slender female Corporal.

"What did you do, Corporal Walker?" the lieutenant demanded when he got to within a pace of the young woman. He would like to have gotten closer, but she was almost ten centimeters taller than him and that was as close as he could get without using a stool.

"Flight Lieutenant!" Deena, the Walker in question, squawked, "I swear - I didn't do anything!" She was wracking her brains to think of anything she might have done to warrant the old mans' ire, but the only thing she could think of was if they complained of all the posters and pictures in her bunk.

"You can't think of any reason why I would get orders to take you off all of your assignments for the foreseeable?" He asked.

"What? No! I just transferred up here…" Deena was close to panicking, thinking of the upgrade project she had only just begun and would now have to leave to the others. It wasn't that she didn't think they could do it without her, but this was the first time she had been entrusted with something this big.

Ducking his head a little, the older man lowered his voice. "You don't have one in the oven?" he asked, making a vague gesture with his hand towards her midsection.

"Flight Lieutenant!" Deena was shocked that he would say something like that, stepping back, face turning scarlet. Even though the accusation was baseless, merely voicing it bordered on sexual harassment.

"Sorry, Walker," the Flight Lieutenant actually seemed contrite at her response, stepping out of her personal space. "-but the last couple of times I got orders like that… it was always for a sheila that got herself knocked up. And it's not that I thought you're that irresponsible, but I had to ask. Don't get worked up. Sorry."

"Yes… Flight Lieutenant." Deena was still upset, but she knew that he was in a pretty difficult place, too. When orders came from On High it was difficult, sometimes, to carry them out without any questions.

"How fast can you get cleaned up and into your Service Dress?" the Flight Lieutenant asked.

"Huh?" Deena was stunned at his question. The only time the people in her group ever had to wear that kind of uniform was for a parade, or if there was a big event requiring meetings with the higher-ups.

"You heard me right, Corporal Walker. We've got us a date at the Air Commodore's office in two hours, and he ain't the kind to just call you in for some earbashing. So if you can think of any reason why this is happening, you've got till then to come clean with me."

"Flight Lieutenant, I swear… I haven't done anything!" Deena said earnestly.

"Hmpf… we'll see." the old man huffed for show, but he was hoping she was telling the truth. _She_ _i_ _s a damn good worker. Solid and dependable. Whatever this mix-up is… it just has to be a mistak_ _e. No sense worrying about it now. I have to go put on my uniform too. An I'm no show pony, I look like a bloody twat in that penguin suit. Dammit!_

.

 **Friday afternoon, February 25th – Meji Affiliated High School, Tokyo Japan**

* * *

Suzume was sitting in her desk and trying to look across the classroom, through the tall thin windows, to the outside world. Even though her desk was in the farthest row from the windows, it wasn't difficult for her to get the view she wanted. Now, at 182 centimeters, she was easily the tallest girl in the class. She didn't claim to be the tallest person in the class since that would hurt the boys' feelings… but she was. In fact, her best friend, Umeki proudly claimed that Suzume was the tallest person in their grade.

In reality, it didn't upset as many people as Suzume feared it would. Everyone knew she was a model and that she performed with Kawashima Ami, Kurosawa Hisako, and sometimes with little Aiko-chan too. It hadn't even been something that she needed to explain. She smiled when she remembered the chaos she had caused on the first day of class in this new school. She knew that she should be embarrassed at the disruption she had caused, but she had enjoyed herself too much for that. Closing her eyes, she remembered the moment well. She was with Umeki and they had just finished with their paperwork in the administrative building. She could hear Yuri sensei's familiar voice from the classroom…

.

"Hello class, I will be your homeroom sensei for this year. My name is Locke Yuri. I am new to this school so for those of you who have come from the affiliated Junior High School, I would appreciate any guidance or help regarding unique school customs here at Meji. Now, I would like to get to know all of you better so I would like to ask…

"SUZUME!" a startled girl shouted while jumping up from her desk. She was pointing at the _very_ tall girl with long red hair and sea-green eyes who had just come into the room with a shorter girl. The only reaction from the taller girl was a brief smile as the two of them walked across the front of the room until they were standing a little behind sensei. The shorter girl was wearing a Meji High School uniform like everyone else, but the tall girl was in a uniform from some other school. The astonished girl demanded, "You're Minami Suzume, aren't you?"

"Is it really?" "That can't really be her, can it?" "Who is Minami Suzume?" "Baka, she's a famous model." The rest of the class was abuzz after the girl's declaration.

"Sensei, should I…" Suzume and Yuri were student and teacher, but they had also become good friends and she didn't want to upset her sensei and her friend on the first day of class in their new school.

"Please do. We were just starting the introductions anyway." Yuri was about to back away from the center of the front of the room, but Suzume caught her sleeve and kept her close by.

"I am Minami Suzume, but I am not the only celebrity in this class." Suzume told all the students. She gave them a moment to look around at the other students in the room and several looked over the shorter girl that had come in with Suzume. Then she asked them, "How many of you saw me in the magazines that featured Kawashima Ami?"

"I did." "Me too." Almost all of the girls and several of the boys raised their hands.

"If you read the articles, you should know that Ami never went anywhere without her trusted… sensei." Suzume said.

"Huh?" Yuri looked up at the tall girl and wondered what she was doing.

"I remember that article! She was the sensei for you and little Aiko-chan too." the startled girl blurted out again, "Her name was… Koigakubo Yuri, right?"

"It _was_." Suzume pulled her sensei's arm up in a triumphant gesture and turned Yuri's hand so that everyone could see the sparkly ring on Yuri's third finger. "I was lucky enough to be at her wedding. Her name is _Locke_ Yuri now."

"You were Kawashima Ami's sensei?" another student gawked. His eyes had moved to the embarrassed but proud teacher who seemed dwarfed next to the red haired giantess.

"She still is." Suzume insisted, "It's in our contract that whenever we have to travel a significant distance for a performance, Yuri sensei will go with us. After all, we are all students. And when it comes to our education, we are all in her care."

"Suzume…" Yuri appreciated the acknowledgement, but so much praise was just a bit embarrassing.

"But Kawashima Ami is in college now." "Our sensei can teach college students?" "Is she really that good?" the classroom chattered.

"Kurosawa Hisako isn't a student." one of the classmates challenged. And, by the way she said the model's name with a bit of distaste, it was obvious that Hisako had not yet been universally forgiven.

"She is now." Yuri answered this one, "She is attending a cram school to get into Tokushima University where her friends are already students."

"Are there any other questions?" Suzume snapped to the room. The way the last person had sounded when they mentioned her friend Hisako had upset Suzume, and her mood had not yet recovered.

"Why aren't you wearing our school uniform?" a girl asked Suzume.

"They don't have anything in my size. I must have mine made special." Giving this answer warmed Suzume's heart because she knew who would be involved in creating that specially made uniform.

"I have a question for Yuri sensei." a glasses wearing boy toward the front of the class asked, "Um… if you have a contract to leave whenever they have an event… who will be teaching our class in your absence?"

"That is a good question and one that I have already addressed with the school administration. As I will be your English teacher, I have arranged for someone that will substitute for me who is a natural English speaker."

"Natural… so our substitute will be a foreigner?" the boy asked skeptically.

"That is true, but he is fluent in seven languages and Japanese is one of them. So you shouldn't have any problem understanding him." Yuri boasted of her husband.

"Seven?" several students asked in disbelief.

"Yes, so if you are taking elective classes in Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, or Russian – you can get his help with those too." Yuri said with a smile.

"That's only six." another boy in the front of the class asked.

"He speaks two dialects of Chinese." Yuri assured the young student.

"Oh wow. So… how often will you be out?" one of the girls asked them.

"Well… Suzume and her friends won't have that many gigs that will take me away from Tokyo, but… I am three months pregnant now, so my husband will likely be taking over the class after the summer break and until school starts back up again after the winter break." Yuri explained.

"You're pregnant!" several of the girls in the class sounded more excited about this news than they had when they found out they had a celebrity in their class.

"Minami-san!" one of the girls called out to Suzume while others were asking Yuri if she was hoping for a boy or a girl, "Minami-san, when will your next job be?"

"Ami, Hisako, and I have a modeling gig this coming weekend and we will be doing a singing performance with Aiko-chan during Golden Week." Suzume told them.

"That doesn't sound like a busy schedule. I would have thought there would be a lot more going on, since you are teamed up with Kawashima Ami." the girl asked.

"Well she is a college student, you know. And, with her pregnancy, she is having to slow down her schedule a bit." Suzume replied.

"WHAT? Kawashima Ami is pregnant too?" the whole classroom sounded shocked.

"I thought that was already in one of the magazine articles?" Suzume apologetically asked Yuri.

"I don't think it was." Yuri replied quietly.

"Minami-san," a boy called out to the tall model and jokingly asked, "with all this pregnancy going on all around you, aren't you worried that you might catch it too?"

"Oh yeah, do you have someone you like?" another boy asked the model.

"Someone I like?" Suzume only thought about it for a moment before she pulled Umeki in close and proudly said, "Yes. I do have someone I like. And no, I am not too worried about suddenly becoming pregnant."

"Ah!" Umeki cried out at the surprise of being pulled into Suzume's embrace in front of the whole class as much as from the unexpected announcement of their relationship.

.

That had been almost a year ago and things had changed a lot since then. Ami's child was six months old, Yuri-sensei's child was almost five months old, and Maya-chan's twins were three months old now. Aside from that, Ami's mother in law had personally seen to Ami and Yuri-sensei's physical recovery, and already had them back in top condition. Maya was at a school in another prefecture but she didn't escape the wrath of a self-appointed personal trainer. Hisako took it upon herself to do to Maya what everyone's favorite Onee-chan had done for Ami and Yuri.

And, now that Ami was back in shape, she was itching to do another performance or some kind of modeling gig. Ryuuji had told everyone that he was working on something big and to be ready, but that had been a few days ago and Suzume hadn't heard anything since. She didn't mind so much though. Staying close to home, visiting friends, and playing with the babies was fun too. Except for the part about being so much taller than all of her classmates, she was starting to get used to the normal life of a High School student. But all of that was about to change.

"Suzume! Umeki!" Yuri-sensei called out from her desk.

"Huh?" Suzume's head slewed around and saw that there was someone from the office as well as The Major up at the front of the room. She noticed that Yuri was quickly throwing her things into a bag.

"Pack up your things. We're heading out." Yuri told her. From the tone of it, she knew that it would be another gig that would require travel. Not too long ago, they had attended an event in Osaka and that had been nice since they got an opportunity to visit Maya, Noto, and Nanako while they were there. Osaka wasn't that far away, but they had stayed a few extra days to visit with their old friends.

Umeki was already packing her things up. She didn't really care where they were off to. It was just an amazing thrill to get to go along. In the last year, she had been able to see more of the different parts of Japan than she had seen in all her life up to that point. And it was all because Ryuuji had talked her parents into signing a contract to allow him to take her with the troupe, whenever and wherever Suzume went. She had become the model daughter since then. She remembered to send her parents gifts on their birthdays and their anniversary as thanks for their consideration. And she kept her grades up and sent them copies of all the progress reports. She didn't forget to thank Ryuuji and Ami too. She smiled when she heard some of her classmates mumbling as they wondered where their sensei and the two girls might be going this time.

"Where are we going this time?" Suzume asked aloud. She wondered if they might be making another trip to Osaka. It would be nice to see Maya and Noto's darling little twins again.

"Oh, you are really not going to believe this…" The Major smiled as he prepared to tell the two teenagers.

.

Thirty minutes later, the teacher and the two excited teens were across the campus in the attached Meiji Elementary School to get Aiko-chan from her fourth grade classroom. But the ten year old wasn't as excited about going to such a far away place as the teenagers had been.

"Australia? Do I have to go?" Aiko-chan pleaded.

"Well, a lot of our performances there will be with you singing, so we really do need you." Suzume told her as gently as she could.

"Aiko-chan, do you not want to go to Australia?" Umeki asked the younger but taller girl.

"No… It's just that… it's real far away. Isn't it?" Aiko-chan looked at her friends with tearful eyes. She didn't want to disappoint them, but the idea of going so far away was scary to her.

"Um…" Suzume was about to try and convince her that it really wasn't so far, but Yuri-sensei had other ideas.

"Yes, Aiko-chan. It is very far away. There are lots of places that are farther, but there is no denying that it is a far-away place." Yuri told the child the truth.

"Um… sensei…" Suzume wanted to stop her teacher from making things worse, but Umeki pulled on her girlfriend's sleeve and gave her a look that meant for her not to interrupt.

"But, I think you will want to go if you listen to what I am going to tell you. Will you hear me out?" Yuri took the little girl's hand and held it softly.

"Okay." Aiko-chan would listen to the teacher but she didn't know what kind of thing could be said to make her feel better about having to go so far from home.

"Deena-chan is in Australia." Yuri said with a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her lips. Her entire argument was summed up in those few words, and she could instantly see it's persuasiveness.

"Deena-chan? My… My Deena-chan?" Aiko-chan's eyes welled up with tears and her little chin started trembling. She had been terribly upset when her tall Australian friend had to return to her homeland, and she still missed the blond woman who had been like a big sister to her.

"Yes." Yuri answered simply. The teacher was a little worried. She didn't think telling the young girl would have so much impact.

"Will I get to see her?" Aiko-chan pleaded while tears already started making trails down her cheeks.

"Ryuuji-sama is trying to make sure of it. So, yes… there is a very good chance that you will." Yuri told the now sobbing girl. She was about to tell Aiko-chan to try and get a grip on her emotions, but she remembered that the girl, despite her height, was still a child.

Taller than her teenage friend Umeki, Aiko-chan was also only eight centimeters shorter than Yuri herself. But her presence as an adult stopped there. At ten years old she was in that strange time between 'little girl' and 'teenager' that was so difficult to pin down or understand. In this instance, she reverted to 'little girl' while the tears flowed. Her arms came up and she stepped into Yuri. She needed a hug, and she needed a mother figure to tell her that everything was going to be okay.

"I wanna go… I wanna go to Australia and see Deena-chan. Please… I wanna see Deena-chan again." Aiko-chan now implored. All fears of going far away were forgotten. She had longed to see her beloved friend since the day she had left. Now that it was a possibility that it might truly happen, all of those pent up emotions were suddenly released.

"All right. Let's get your things packed up. We won't be back here until the next school year starts." Yuri said as she patted the girl's head and held her close.

"We can take care of that." Umeki said quickly and gestured for Yuri to stay with Aiko-chan in the hallway. She pulled Suzume into Aiko-chan's Elementary grade classroom with her.

The students in the classroom weren't afraid of the two high school girls that came into their room. Umeki and Suzume had been there to pick up Aiko-chan many times before. But the children in the classroom knew that something was different this time. Suzume went over to the teacher's desk to explain what was going on, while Umeki went to pack up her younger friend's things.

"Are you taking Aiko-chan away?" one of the girls who sat near Aiko-chan's desk asked Umeki.

"Yes. She won't be here for the last day of school, but we will bring her back and you will see her again for the next school year." Umeki assured the girl. She could see the sad look in many of the faces around Aiko-chan's desk when she told them that their classmate wouldn't be there for the last day of school and it made her happy that Aiko-chan had made so many friends. In a few minutes, she had everything packed up and Suzume had finished going over everything with Aiko-chan's teacher. By then, Aiko-chan had calmed down enough to come back into the classroom and say goodbye to all of her friends.

As Yuri watched the little girl, she noticed that virtually every student in the classroom was her friend. And, the teacher was sad to see her leave early too. _It is just bizarre how much she looks like a big version of Taiga, but is such a totally different person. Kind, gentle, polite… and she is even on good terms with her teacher. If Taiga had even one of those characteristics, she would be an entirely different person._ If someone could hear her thoughts just then, they might think that Yuri didn't like Taiga, but that wasn't quite right. It was true that Taiga had often been merciless with the barbs she had stung Yuri with. But Yuri didn't hate Taiga. She actually respected the Palm Top Tiger for her courage to face her problems in the end, and prove her self-worth to herself. It was true that she had made some staggeringly bad judgment calls in the execution of that plan, but the goal still had it's merit.

.

 **Friday afternoon, February 25th – Kawashima House in Tokyo**

* * *

"Yuri-chan!" Yasuko cheerfully answered her phone. The buxom blond had just finished an afternoon run with a few of the neighbors, when her cell phone started singing to her. The neighbors were out of breath and doubled over or lying in the cold grass, when Yasuko answered her cell phone and started cheerily talking with barely a pant in her breathing.

"Onee-chan, I haven't been able to reach Ryuuji. Could you tell him that I have the girls with me and I'm on my way?"

"Sure. How soon do you think you'll get here?" Yasuko asked in a very happy voice. Her neighbors, who were still trying to catch their breath, watched in awe as the chirping blond bounced up the stairs to her front door as easily as if she had all the energy in the world.

"About half an hour. We're not far away, but the traffic is pretty bad." Yuri explained.

"Okay, I'll tell him as soon as I see him." Yasuko told her friend as she hung up the phone and opened the front door. She was about two years older than Yuri, but she still looked like she was barely out of her teens. Most people would guess that she was in her mid twenties at the most.

Her amazing vitality and youthful appearance was something the neighbors picked up on as well. Soon after they had moved into the neighborhood and Yasuko's actual age had been discovered, she had been nominated the leader of the local health and exercise club. The club was mostly composed of retired people, housewives, and a few adults that had work-from-home jobs. It had devolved into a gossip meet before Yasuko took charge, but those days were gone now. Yasuko started their daily program with a stretching session that anyone could do. Then onto a calisthenics routine that most could keep up with. And it ended with… the run. Like her old neighborhood, she had found a place nearby that was perfect for their routine. Well, almost perfect. The university that her son and daughter-in-law went to had a lovely botanical garden nearby. Running there was prettier and safer than running along city streets. But unlike the shrine park near where they used to live, there was no great stairway here. This deep into Tokyo, the region was fairly flat and she would have to drive almost an hour to get to some decent hills to run up.

"Oh my! I almost forgot to tell you." she turned back from the open front door to her gasping neighbors and told them, "I'm really sorry but I won't be able to take you out to the shrine run this weekend after all. I hope you're not too upset."

"No, not upset." We're good." "Another time is fine." "We'll be okay." the neighbors gasped.

"Thanks so much! You're all just so sweet. I promise to make it all up to you when I get back into town. Bye!" Yasuko said as she disappeared into the house.

"Thank heavens, we've been saved." "I think she's trying to kill us all." "I thought I was going to die on that last lap." "But still… my blood pressure is better than it has been in decades." "And I'm a few kilo's lighter." "A few?" "Shut up!"

.

Yasuko leaned against the front door and listened to her neighbors banter long enough to know that they didn't hate her for driving them all so hard. Then she strode into the house and smiled as she caught a whiff of something delicious that her son was busy making.

"Ryuuuuu-chan!" Yasuko called out as she walked in from the foyer.

"In here, Yasuko." he called back from the kitchen. Then, as he felt his mother's breasts pressing against his back and her hands reaching into his pants pockets, he cried out, "HEY!"

"Oh Ryu-chan, you let your cell phone die again." Yasuko said as she looked at the phone she had fished out of his pocket. She knew she had flustered him, but it made her happy to know that she was still pretty enough to fluster her big handsome college son.

"You shouldn't…" Ryuuji stammered trying to chastise his mother while still paying attention to the cooking tempura.

"I know, I know… I shouldn't do something like that when you're cooking. But you know I wouldn't if I really didn't think you could handle it, right Ryu-chan?" Yasuko said sweetly as she connected his phone to the charging base.

"Uh…" Ryuuji's real objection was that his mom was just too sexy, and he was grown up too much for her to be that familiar with him any more. But, he knew that telling her that would break her heart… "Yeah, that's it."

"Anyway, Yuri-chan called and said they will be here in thirty minutes." Yasuko told her son while she got the dishes out for the dinner he was preparing.

"Ah, good. Ami should already be here though. I hope something didn't go wrong." Ryuuji's brow furrowed while he checked the flame under the pan full of hot oil.

"Something did go wrong. Your phone was dead." Yasuko reminded him. Then, anticipating his next comment, she reached for her own phone.

"Ah, you're right! Could you call her for me, please?" Ryuuji looked up at the clock and hoped she hadn't been trying to reach him all this time.

.

Ami was riding in one of the limousines owned by the Yamada family. She had just come from a photo shoot at the grand re-opening of another one of Yukiko's re-imaged hotels. This one didn't have the posh rooms of Le Dauphin, but it was perfect for it's intended purpose. She had become interested in the project when Yukiko described it as an inexpensive alternative to the 'tube' hotels. Remembering that Hisako had been so down on her luck that she had been staying in one of those places, Ami had looked into them. Most of them were awful. They weren't cleaned well, their facilities weren't maintained, and some of them had been cited as being unsafe for a variety of reasons. Frankly, staying in one of those filthy tube hotels was just a step away from being homeless.

But Yukiko brought a touch of class to the concept. It was well known that a lot of people came into Tokyo to work during the week, then went back to their homes in the countryside on the weekends and holidays. But that could be expensive unless you rented a place with several roommates. And, as everyone will discover at least once in their lives, roommates are not always as reliable as you might hope. So, Yukiko's concept hotel brought in the miniature living spaces that other 'tube' hotels used, but upgraded the common amenities areas. Whole floors were designated for men or women so that there could be a more efficient layout and guests would feel more at ease.

The Lobby level had a restaurant where guests could get something to eat from a set of buffet tables. The cost of the meals was included with the fare and all they had to do was swipe their room card. Each floor had it's own place to get in a quick work-out, a common bath area, and a place with food and drink vending machines in case the guest missed the times that the dining room was open. Everything was set up for the office worker on the go. That is to say, for the individual who was probably in a hurry, but should have something healthy to eat nonetheless.

Ami had been impressed with the thought that went into everything, but she couldn't help but think that Hisako still would not have been able to afford this place back when she was having a hard time finding work.

"You look disappointed." Yukiko said sadly. She had been able to notice Ami's doleful look despite having to drive through Tokyo traffic. Yukiko had been hopeful when Ami looked impressed earlier in the day, but she didn't seem as happy now.

"No no! It has nothing to do with your new hotel. I really do think it's a good idea." Ami assured her friend. The friend that Ryuuji had arranged for her back when they had made that first trip to Tokyo together. Those were fond memories but…

"But…" Yukiko prodded Ami.

"You remember my friend, Hisako? Do you remember why we brought her to stay with us in your hotel back then?" Ami asked.

"Yes. She was living in a tube hotel at the time." Yukiko replied… somewhat diplomatically.

"She was living in squalor." Ami swept the diplomatic air away and called it the way she remembered it.

"Well, yes. But I had hoped you would see that they don't all have to be like that. I had to fight my own family to get this project, you know. They didn't like the idea of the Yamada name being attached to something like a tube hotel. But I still believe there is a huge opportunity here." Yukiko was getting worked up in defense of her project, but Ami was flagging her down.

"It's not that. I agree with you and I think you've put together something very nice. It's just… I was remembering how tough things were for Hisako back then and… even though your rates aren't enormously higher than the other places, I don't think she would have been able to afford your place."

"That's still okay." Yukiko said.

"What?" Ami couldn't believe that her hotel heiress friend would say that it was still okay for Hisako to live in squalor… so she must have meant something else.

"Until now, there were the cheap but awful tubes, and then there were the more expensive hotels and apartments. But my new place will raise the bar. It is only a bit more expensive than the existing tubes and less expensive than the hotels and apartments. Other places never had to try hard to compete before, but they will now. Existing tube hotels may not have my full suite of amenities, but to be able to stay in business, they will need to fix up and clean up."

"I see. So…" Ami was about to make a business observation when her cell phone rang. Looking at her smart-phone, she saw that it was from Onee-chan.

"Go ahead." Yukiko signaled for Ami to take her call.

"Onee-chan? Is everything okay?" Ami asked.

"It's fine but Ryu-chan asked me to call you and let you know that Yuri-chan and the girls are about thirty minutes away. Well… I guess they are twenty minutes away now. So, when do you think you'll be home?"

"I'm with Yuki-chan…" Ami had to jerk her phone away from her head when Yasuko suddenly screamed into her phone.

"Yuki-chan is coming! I haven't seen her in ages! That's wonderful!" Yasuko turned to her son and asked, "We have enough for one more don't we? Ami is bringing Yuki-chan!"

"Sure, I'm making lots." Ryuuji said with a grin. He had developed the habit of cooking more than was necessary the night of, or the night before an event. It just seemed like _something_ would always come up. Something exactly like this.

"Yay! So, how soon until you two get here." Yasuko said to her phone.

"She is bringing me home now. We should be there…" Ami glanced over at Yukiko who was holding up five fingers, "we should be there in five minutes."

"All right, I'll let Ryu-chan know. Byeeee!" and Yasuko was gone.

"She's still everybody's Onee-chan, isn't she?" Yukiko asked.

"Oh yes… and I guess you heard about dinner?" Ami asked.

"Yes. And I look forward to it. As I recall, my little sister's future husband is an outstanding cook." Yukiko teased.

"Your little…" Ami's brain caught the inference and she smirked, "You're not still on about stealing Ryuuji from me, are you?"

"You bet I am! The Yamada family has dibs on him." Yukiko laughed, "The moment you step out of line, Takasu Ryuuji is _ours_!"

"Tell me again why we're friends?" Ami grimaced.

"Because Ryuuji said so. And if you go against him on that, I get to count it as you stepping out of line." the oldest, and most businesslike of the three Yamada sisters that Ami had met was actually snickering like a little girl.

Ami wasn't able to maintain her pout any longer. Sitting next to the snickering friend was too much for her, and soon they were both laughing.

.

Ryuuji and Yasuko were getting the food to the table when everyone seemed to arrive at once. Ami came in with Yukiko and a moment later, Yuri came in with Aiko-chan, Umeki, and Suzume. They all started to chatter, but Ryuuji spoke over their conversations with his announcement.

"We don't have much time. You need to eat and we need to be out the door in less than an hour." Ryuuji boomed.

"What? Did you get plane tickets for this evening? I thought we didn't leave until tomorrow?" Yuri asked.

"I won't have time to pack!" Suzume sounded startled.

"No, the plane isn't until tomorrow morning. But we need to head out for Waseda University in an hour. The Kendo match was delayed so we have time to make it." Ryuuji told them.

"Just a second," Ami said with a pout, "...we have to rush through our meal because you promised your ex-girlfriend…"

"She doesn't know we're coming." Ryuuji interjected with a knowing smile.

"Huh?" Ami's pout turned into a puzzled look.

"Umeko is the one that invited us. Taiga has no idea we are coming." Ryuuji explained.

"Oh really…" Ami's puzzled look now turned into a feral grin. She looked around at the others and saw that a few of them were grinning too. The little tsundere was entirely predictable; she would act angry that they all surprised her, but she would be glad that they were there. But Taiga's initial surprise would be... priceless.

"Ryuuji-sama, are we really going to see Nee-chan?" Aiko-chan asked with excitement. She had taken to calling the older girl that looked like a younger sister of hers, by that honorific. The first time Taiga heard it she was both thrilled and horrified. She thought it made her sound like an older sister and a little girl at the same time. It didn't help that Ami started laughing hysterically when she heard Taiga's complaint. But, no matter how much it might have pained Taiga, she couldn't bring herself to tell the younger but bigger version of herself to stop.

"That's right, but only if we can hurry." Ryuuji replied.

"All right, you heard Ryu-chan! Eat up, everyone. Then, let's go watch little Taiga's competition!" Yasuko cheered.

.

 **Friday late afternoon, February 25th – Waseda University, Tokyo Japan**

* * *

It wasn't that Minori and Umeko should have realized that Taiga was up to something. They _knew_ she was. They just decided to go along with her. So, they hadn't been surprised when they got out of the showers and discovered that all their clothes were missing. And, in their place were two red skirts and white blouses – Miko outfits.

"So, we're going to be her attendants?" Minori smiled nervously while looking at her reflection in the mirror. Having spent most of her life as a jock/tomboy, Minori was always more comfortable in running shorts and a T-shirt, she always felt odd in such a girly outfit.

"Oh… I think it will be fine." Umeko was smiling too, but she was looking at the message on her phone. In fact… this should be a lot of fun!"

"Huh?" Minori wondered why her fellow softball loving friend was suddenly so pumped about being involved in Taiga's Kendo competition.

Umeko was wondering if she should tell Minori about the surprise she had arranged with Ryuuji when she heard Taiga's voice from the dressing room doorway.

"Are you two ready yet?" Taiga called out to them.

"Coming!" Umeko replied as she grabbed Minori by the hand and headed out of the dressing room.

"All right. Whatever you two do, don't embarrass me." Taiga tried to sound gruff as she ordered her two taller assistants.

"Of course not. But… whatever you do, don't look at the third row of the stands, opposite your entrance." Umeko smirked.

"Huh?" Taiga's eyes were, of course, drawn straight to the third row of the bleachers where the audience had gathered to watch the competition. Her mouth dropped open and her cheeks went crimson when she saw who was there. Just about everyone she knew except Noto's group in Tokushima, were several meters away looking back at her. Most of them calmly waved at her, but there was one that couldn't bottle up her enthusiasm.

"Neechan! Neechan!" Aiko-chan was jumping up and down and waving madly. The smile on her face revealed so much pure joy that Taiga found it impossible to scream, throw a rude gesture, or do anything to show how annoying it was to have all of them suddenly show up like this.

"How… how did they know?" Taiga hissed through a forced smile as she weakly waved back at her friends.

"The events are published on the school's web site, you know." Minori replied quietly.

"Or, it could be that I told Ryuuji-sama all about it." Umeko admitted with her own smile… that was in no way, forced.

"You what?" both Taiga and Minori gaped as they turned to face the turncoat.

"Taiga, this competition is your test to make Second Dan. This is a crucial event in Kendo. You won't have another event like this for two years. Do you really think it was fair to exclude your friends from something so important?" Umeko lectured.

"But… I might not win." Taiga's self doubt always surfaced around her competitions. She was easily the shortest contender in the competition and that gave her an inferiority complex. But, as her coach had pointed out, it could also be an advantage. The valid targets were her head, throat, torso, and wrists. But, for a taller opponent, it would be difficult for them to reach her torso. In fact, the head would be such a perfect target that Taiga could concentrate her defenses there and give more focus to her own attacks. It had worked out well in concept and practice, but now it was the time to put that theory to the test in actual competition… but Taiga had doubts.

"You'll do fine!" Minori assured her long time friend. Then she raised the gloves and helped Taiga to put them on.

"Did you know that Aiko-chan told me that she wants to be like you when she grows up?" Umeko said as she lifted the helmet and carefully placed it over Taiga's head.

"That's ridiculous! She's already grown more than me." Taiga pouted that the ten year old girl was already taller than her and… had larger breasts too.

"She wasn't talking about height. She respects your confidence, your willpower, and your indomitable spirit." Umeko told the Palm Top Tiger.

"She's nuts!" Taiga laughed.

"No, Taiga. It's true that she's still a child, but Aiko-chan is a smart girl and that's the way she sees you. And… to tell you the truth, that's the way a lot of people see you." Minori rebutted her friend's self-disparaging comment.

"Now Taiga," Umeko said as she grasped the Kendo helmet and stared into the shorter girl's wide open eyes, "you take that confidence, that willpower, and that indomitable spirit – mix it up with all that training you've been doing, and go win this thing!"

.

From the stands, her friends watched as Taiga left the company of the two Miko's and approached her tall, Amazonian opponent. Just from looking at the two figures in their armor, it looked like a child was about to fight an adult. The smaller opponent wore a strip of red on her back and the taller had a strip of white. The tall girl still seemed immeasurably larger as the opponents went into their squat and waited for the referee to signal the start of the match. The three referees each held a red and a white flag for the actual judging but for now, they all took a few moments to observe each contestant's form. When they were all satisfied, they moved into their positions and were ready for the center referee to signal the match to commence. As soon as he did, there was an eruption of sound and a blur of motion.

"DO!" Taiga's scream could be heard echoing off the close walls even as the bodies rapidly moved. Her scream was followed by a loud smack from the sound of the the tall girl driving her Shinai hard onto Taiga's helmet. The big girl's blow had been powerful and Taiga had been driven to her knees… but all three referees were holding up red flags.

"What happened?" Yasuko asked. To her, it seemed like she blinked and it was all over.

"Onee-chan, look up there." Yuri gestured at the ceiling over Taiga's head. Fortunately, the college had a large monitor above the contest floor that could replay the scene in slow motion. All eyes went up to the screen to see how Taiga had scored the point.

With the motion slowed down, they saw what had happened in the mere second after the referee had given the signal to begin. Taiga launched herself at her opponent as if her legs had been boosted with strong coiled springs. The tall girl instantly reacted with a blow to Taiga's head, which impacted a moment before Taiga's stroke impacted her opponent's torso armor.

"But… it looks like the other girl got in the first blow. So, why did Taiga get the point?" Aiko-chan asked.

"Look at where the Shinai hit Taiga's helmet." Yuri explained, "Do you see the white tape on both of their swords?"

"Yeah." Aiko-chan could clearly see the white tape on the monitor.

"The blow has to be between that tape and the tip of the Shinai. Taiga closed the distance to her opponent so quickly that the blow to her head was in the wrong place and it didn't count." Yuri finished her lesson, but didn't sound like a teacher. There was admiration in her voice for the little girl that tried such a gutsy move.

"Wow… she moved real fast!" Aiko-chan said with apparent admiration.

"Yes, she did." Ryuuji was impressed too. There had been many times that he had been on the receiving end of one of the Palm Top Tiger's attacks and he knew just how fast Taiga could move.

"So, she's going to win, right?" Aiko-chan asked brightly.

"Maybe… she did get the first point. She only needs one more, but that kind of attack isn't going to work again. Her opponent will be on her guard now." Ami said. She would have liked to have said more too, but little Aiko-chan didn't need to be overly worried. Ami did not like the way the big girl had hit Taiga on her head so hard that she had been driven to her knees. She was a little surprised that the referees hadn't given the large opponent a penalty for that. But the main reason she said nothing was that it was Taiga. Had it been any other small girl, she would have cried foul. But Taiga wasn't one to be bullied so easily. In fact, Ami thought she could detect the Palm Top Tiger's barely controlled rage even from up in the stands. _If that Amazonian th_ _inks_ _she'_ _s_ _intimidating Taiga, she_ _i_ _s making a very serious mistake._

Everyone was watching carefully when the referees gave the signal to begin again. This time was a little different. There were a few seconds of batting at each other's sword tips before the big girl rushed at Taiga. Neither could get their Shinai in position and they ended up with their swords vertical. The big girl used her mass and strength to push Taiga around on the competition floor. It looked as though she might be about to push her out of the competition area when she suddenly slammed the hilt, or tsuka of her Shinai into the face of Taiga's helmet and sent her flying out of the fight area. Normally, one would get a penalty for leaving the designated fight area, but the three referees signaled a penalty to the big girl instead.

"I don't like her. She's bullying Neechan!" Aiko-chan shouted.

"Why did she get the penalty?" Umeki asked.

"That kind of roughness isn't allowed in Kendo." Ryuuji told her.

"Yeah, if she wanted to throw people around, she should have taken up Sumo or Judo." Suzume said with a little contempt showing in her voice.

"Oh, so you can beat each other on the head with sticks all you want, but you can't push someone down?" Umeki said sarcastically.

"That's right." Ryuuji chuckled at the girl's well crafted witticism.

"It doesn't seem right to me." Umeki mumbled. Of course, Umeki had never been a fan of violent sports, anyway. She didn't hate them, but she wouldn't have come to a competition like this, if one of the contestants hadn't been someone she knew.

"Well then… when we get back to our room I'll be sure to _push you down_." Suzume said with an exaggerated leering smile.

"Eep!" Umeki suddenly blushed across her full face when she realized the context of what that meant in the setting of their shared bedroom.

"What did Suzume-senpai mean by that?" Aiko-chan innocently asked.

"Nothing. It was a joke. Watch the match." Ryuuji said while turning the young girl's head with his hand so that she wasn't looking at the misbehaving teenage girls any more.

This time, when the referee signaled for them to begin, the room once again echoed with Taiga's scream.

"TSUKI!" Taiga startled the big girl with her scream even though she still hadn't moved from her starting position. She waited until the giantess recovered enough to take a swipe at her, and then it was time to make her move. The swipe had missed her head by centimeters and once again, Taiga was inside the big girl's reach. But this time, she didn't cross swords with the big girl, and she didn't give her a chance to punch her in the face again either. The tip of her Shinai came up in a powerful thrust not many would believe a girl as small as Taiga could muster. It crashed into the taller girl's throat guard and hit with so much ferocity that the big girl was lifted off her feet with the impact. This time it was the giantess that fell to the floor with a crash. Flags came out again, but they were all red… and Taiga had won the match.

"Huh? But Taiga knocked the other girl down this time. Why did she get a point for that?" Yasuko wasn't against the idea of cute little Taiga getting the win, but she was confused about the scoring.

"Taiga announced that she would hit her opponent in the throat when she yelled 'tsuki' at the beginning. So her hit was a legal blow." Ryuuji told his mother.

"Oh… so what happens now?" Yasuko was watching as the two girls dressed like shrine maidens helped Taiga out of her gloves and mask. She smiled when the mask came off and she could see that Taiga's familiar and cute face didn't seem to have been hurt. Well, at least she couldn't see any blood from up here in the stands.

"Now we get to go congratulate her. She won her match. She is a Second Dan now." Ryuuji said in a voice gilded with pride.

"Hey there, remember me?" Ami elbowed Ryuuji in the ribs.

"What?" Ryuuji looked at his wife in surprise.

"You sure are sounding proud of your ex-girlfriend's victory." Ami pouted.

"I am proud of my _friend's_ victory." Ryuuji corrected the sentiment, then added, "You never got upset when I was proud of Suzume, or Hisako, or Aiko-chan?"

"Yeah well… that's because _they're_ not _Taiga_!" Ami snapped.

"No…" Ryuuji knew where this was going and decided to capitalize on it instead of fight it. He reached out to his fuming bride and pulled her in close while he quietly said, "… and you're not Taiga either. You are Ami… the love of my life, my wife, and the mother of my child."

"Ah!" Ami looked down so Ryuuji couldn't see how fiercely his words had made her blush.

"And I, Takasu Ryuuji, will walk the same path as you." Ryuuji said in a louder voice.

Ami was startled with a jolt of recognition when she heard those words. She looked up at Ryuuji and was unprepared… but didn't fight it, when he kissed her in the middle of the noisy recreation center. Both of them were peripherally aware that many people were taking pictures of them with cell phones and cameras, but they had gotten quite used to that in the past year. Ami hadn't done that much modeling or entertainment work recently, but her highly publicized marriage and pregnancy had done a lot to boost her celebrity status. And, Ami knew that – through thick and thin, whenever she needed Ryuuji – he was always there for her. Deep inside, she admitted to herself that her little emotional anger just now was completely unwarranted. When their lips parted from the kiss, Ami was about to apologize for her little bout of jealousy but he put a finger to her lips.

"It's just that I'll be one step ahead." Ryuuji completed the quote with a smirk.

.

* * *

 **Glossary**

 **Air Commodore** \- O7, equivalent to a Brigadier General

 **Aircraftman** \- E2, an entry level enlisted rank in the Royal Australian Air Force

 **Corporal** \- E5, a mid level enlisted rank in the Royal Australian Air Force

 **Dan** – a ranking system used in martial arts (Kendo, Judo…), strategic games (Shogi, go…), and also cultural arts (flower arranging, calligraphy, and tea ceremony). First Dan would be the first rank of expertise, similar to a first degree black belt.

 **Do** – Torso (Breastplate on a set of Kendo armor)

 **Earbashing** \- nagging, non-stop chatter

 **Flight** **Lieutenant** \- O3, an officert in the Royal Australian Air Force

 **Service Dress uniform** \- shiny black shoes, dark blue slacks, light blue shirt, rank on epaulets

 **Sheila** \- a woman

 **Shinai** – a sword made of bamboo for use in Kendo

 **Show Pony** \- someone who tries hard, by his dress or behavior, to impress those around him

 **Tsuki** – throat (Throat Guard on a set of Kendo armor)


	2. Chapter 2 - Reunited

**Friday early evening, February 25th – Waseda University, Tokyo Japan**

* * *

Hisako and Nanako had given it their best shot. They had even gone straight to the arena – still carrying their luggage. But there was no way to make the trains run any faster, so they had missed the competition. Hisako enjoyed a good Kendo match but it had been Nanako that had been more disappointed that they hadn't made it in time. And Hisako didn't like it when her girlfriend was disappointed… or upset… or angry… or… anything but _happy_.

"You'll still be able to see Taiga." Hisako weakly offered. She knew it wasn't much but it was the most uplifting thing she could think of.

"Oh Hisako, you big worry-wart. I'll be all right. It's okay for me to be a little blue about this. I'm not such a delicate flower that something like this can keep me down." Nanako said while clinging to the tall model's arm and leaning on her as they walked toward the entrance of the Martial Arts arena.

Hisako smiled in reply, but she did remember when Nanako _was_ a delicate flower whose life could have been lost if not for some tremendous luck. Hisako could still see the girl in the hospital bed, recovering from venomous snake bites. Her hair was matted, her skin was bloated and inflamed from the venom that had been coursing through her veins, and she looked exhausted. But to Hisako, the purple haired girl still struggling for her life, had been the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Even in her sickly and unkempt state, it had been love at first sight for Hisako. Since then, they had made many amazing memories together. But the memory of seeing Nanako at her most frail had never left Hisako. It had become the tall models greatest fear – that _something_ would happen to Nanako. It was a nameless, formless dread that troubled Hisako. Whether the attack affected her sweet Nanako physically or emotionally was irrelevant. Hisako was determined to protect her girlfriend from anything that could make her unwell, or unhappy.

"Hisako! Nanako!" a cheer greeted them as they were about to enter the arena and discovered all of their friends huddled around the entrance and getting ready to leave. The arena was still open and inside, the main floor was being set up for the next event, but the part of the evening's competitions that everyone had come to see was over.

"Taiga! How did you do? Did you win?" Nanako asked excitedly.

"Of course!" Taiga answered the question as if there had never been any doubt.

"I pre-purchased the event video so we can all watch it on tomorrow's flight." Ami said with a barely suppressed snicker.

"Event video… WHAT?" Taiga gaped. She knew that video's of the matches were made so that their form and mistakes could be reviewed and training could be honed to address weaknesses. But she never knew that the video's were available for sale to… Dumb-Chi!

"Just a second… what's this about a flight?" Minori asked. She had thought that the friends could all get together and do something fun, but it sounded like some of them had… other plans already. She looked over to Umeko and saw that her head was hung a bit. _So it's something that Umeko knew about… and doesn't particularly like it._

This is supposed to be a secret, but I trust you guys." Ryuuji said to Minori and Taiga, "The models have been invited to Australia for a big fashion event. And, at the same time there is a music festival. So RBB and Aiko-chan will be performing live music too."

"Wow, thats…" Minori wanted to congratulate her friends on getting such a nice gig, but it was really dashing her plans for something of a reunion. But before she could find the right words to finish her thoughts, Umeko put in her own ending.

"… really far away." Umeko was looking down and her fists were clenched. She never did like the idea of her little sister traveling far away, nor did she like the idea of her imouto leaving the country… or flying in general. And this time, Suzume would be doing all three. Ryuuji had fulfilled his obligation though. In fact, he had gone further than what he had agreed to.

Long ago, in a hospital room on an Air Force Base near Tokyo, Minami Umeko – the older sister and guardian of her little sister Suzume, had compromised. She would allow her aspiring model, and under-aged sister to travel for performance engagements as long as Ryuuji was there as her manager, his mother Yasuko was along as a chaperone, and Koigakubo Yuri was along to keep up her studies in the event that the trip interrupted any of her sister's schooling.

Since that agreement had been made, Koigakubo Yuri had married and become Locke Yuri, and Ryuuji had additionally arranged for one of Suzume's school friends to come along for support on her trips. Technically, there was no reason for Yuri to be on this trip since it would all happen within the time of their Spring Break, but that was how Ryuuji was.

Umeko acknowledged that Ryuuji was a good man. She had no doubts at all about sending her little sister off with him. She also knew that Ami, Hisako, Yuri, and Onee-chan were all wonderful people who would do whatever they could to keep her precious sister from harm. Indeed, she trusted the people Suzume was with implicitly. That was never the problem. It was just that… Australia was _so far away!_ Her melancholy was suddenly warmed up by long arms encircling her and wrapping her in a hug.

"I know how much this bothers you, and I really do appreciate you trusting me like this." Suzume said softly into her elder sister's ear.

"It was never a problem with me trusting you… or even the people you're with. It's just… the rest of the world I have a problem with. I just wish you'd stay in Japan… where it's safe." Umeko pouted.

"Wow, that's… so cool!" Taiga cheered Ryuuji's announcement. "How long will you be away?"

"We leave tomorrow morning and we won't be back until March 19th at the earliest." Ryuuji said. He didn't go into the flexible arrangements and that they might not be back until the end of the month. The discussion had already traumatized Umeko once and he had no desire to reopen those wounds.

"What are you going to do with the children? Are you going to take them with you?" Yukiko asked.

"No, they are still a little too young for such a trip." Yuri said sadly.

"Major Charming will be taking them to Tokushima for a stay at the Hisamitsu house." Hisako was well aware of those preparations since she and Nanako lived with Noto and Maya in Tokushima.

"I hope they won't be too cramped." Suzume said. She didn't remember the place being all that large from their previous visit.

"Oh, they will have plenty of room." Nanako said with a smile, "They won't be staying at the apartment near the University where you visited us. They'll be at the main estate where Obāsama holds court."

"Oh… really?" Yukiko's mind for business opportunities switched on and she began to think of possibilities.

"I don't envy The Major making that trip with two infants." Suzume said. As much as she adored the babies, traveling even short distances with them was exhausting.

"He's actually quite good with babies." Yuri defended her husband.

"No matter how good you are with babies, six hours on trains with two infants is going to be tough." Yukiko countered. Not all that experienced with caring for an infant herself, just the idea of doing something like that was terrifying to the hotel executive.

"Actually… that was something I wanted to bring up with you guys." Ryuuji said to Minori and Taiga, "If you have the time… Noto and Maya would like to see you and it would help if you went along with The Major and helped with the children."

"I could pay you a little something." Yuri proposed, "I mean, like long term babysitters."

"Ryuuji-sama's already reserved the Shinkansen tickets to Okayama." Umeko told her friends. "He got three sets, but I can't take the time off from work. So…"

"I'll go!" Yukiko volunteered before Umeko could finish her apology.

"Huh? Don't you have a hotel chain to run?" Ryuuji reminded the hotel heiress.

"I do. But this trip will be mixing business and pleasure. I have long wanted to meet with the Hisamitsu Group and this sounds like a golden opportunity." Yukiko explained, "And besides, I've been building a relationship with my little sisters for a year now and it's time that they show me that they can be trusted not to burn the place down while I take a few days off."

"I suppose you have some softball camp to go off to?" Taiga asked Minori with a slight pout, but immediately brightened when her best friend shook her head.

"Not this time. I was kinda hoping that we could have some kind of reunion…" Minori said with a feeble smile.

"I'll tell you what… If you can keep the first half of summer break open for me, I'll see if I can put together a reunion that we can all come to." Ryuuji offered.

"Really?" both Taiga and Minori cheered.

"Yep! But it has to be the first half of the break, I can tell you now that the second half won't work." Ryuuji insisted.

"I can make that work." Taiga said with determination.

"I think I can do that too." Minori added.

"I'm pretty sure Noto and Maya are free then, but I'll check." Hisako said.

"So… not to keep needling the subject but… what about you two helping with the babies?" Yuri brought the conversation back around to that.

"I'm in!" Taiga said.

"Me too!" Minori said with her usual positive enthusiasm.

.

 **Saturday morning, February 26th – RAAF Amberley - Ipswich, Australia**

* * *

Corporal Deena Walker was back in her Service Dress uniform for the second time this year, but this time she was thrilled. Or at least, she wanted to be thrilled. After the _grand surprise_ she got in the Air Commodore's office the previous afternoon, she was still in a mild state of shock. The unexpected conversation was still echoing through the parts of her brain that were desperately trying to figure out if she was awake or if this was all an incredible dream.

.

"So, here she is! The amazing Deena Walker I've been hearing so much about." the older officer said with a smile. He returned the salutes from the Corporal and her Flight Lieutenant, then put his hand out to shake Deena's hand. Only then did he realize that they had no idea why they were there and that the summons probably caused them a bit of worry, "Be at ease you two. This is more social call than anything."

"Yes, sir." both Deena and her supervisor relaxed somewhat, but they were still wary.

"Lieutenant, did you know that you had a celebrity working for you?" the Commodore tossed a magazine to the junior officer.

"Sorry sir, I can't read Japanese." the Lieutenant replied as soon as he looked at the colorful cover and all the unfamiliar kanji letters.

"I can't read a bit of it either, but just thumb through it and look at the pictures." the Commodore said to the Lieutenant but kept his eyes on the tall Corporal who was looking deeply uncomfortable after she saw the magazine. "According to the people that _can_ read it, our young Corporal here had represented Australia rather brilliantly while she was off getting her 'special training' from the Americans."

"Sir?" the Lieutenant finally came across the pictures that the old man was talking about. Just in case he was being unobservant, Deena's face was circled in red in every picture where she appeared. She seemed to be in the company of an American officer and a group of Japanese youths. He didn't know much about the Japanese youths but he did wonder if her involvement with this officer had strayed into a fraternization issue.

"Sir, I can explain!" the words popped out of Deena's mouth from the stress of having all of this exposed before her commanding officers. She didn't even know what she needed to explain, but she just knew that she must have violated some kind of rule.

"Corporal, I told you to be at ease. I'm not asking for any explanations. I was serious when I said that you did a good job of representing our nation, and the RAAF too." the Commodore huffed.

"How is that, sir?" the Lieutenant was still lost.

"Here you go." the old man tossed another magazine to the Lieutenant. This one was printed in English… or at least the bastardized American version of English. It was an issue of the magazine printed for American armed forces in the Pacific and there was Deena's likeness, along with several others, on the cover. "It seems that our enterprising young Corporal found the time to work on a public relations campaign with the Americans, befriend a group of models, help out on a rescue mission, assist in the Pandemic response, and become the big sister of a young Japanese singer who is still in Grade School. And, she did all of this while she was supposed to be getting her 'special training'. Fascinating experiences, don't you think?"

"Yes… sir." the Lieutenant was stunned. Deena had never talked about any of these things and he had never even heard rumors. There had been a few complaints about her putting up posters of Japanese celebrities in her quarters, but nothing to this extent.

"To tell you the truth, if it hadn't been for the magazines, some messages from DFAT, and a rather excited young man from the Japanese consulate asking for you, I wouldn't have believed it myself." the old man laughed.

"Asking for me, sir?" Deena was now worried that she had somehow offended a foreign country… but the Commodore said, and re-said that she had done a _good_ job.

"Yes, well you see Corporal…" the Commodore started to explain, but seemed to switch tracks and suddenly asked a question, "How much do you know about the Melbourne Fashion Festival?"

"Not much, sir. I mostly wear a uniform." Deena admitted.

"Not good, Corporal." the Commodore wagged a finger at her, but said with a taunting smile, "You go hobnobbing about with foreign fashion models but you don't even know of the fashion events of your own country?"

"Sorry, sir." she couldn't bring herself to tell him that she had never had an interest in fashion in the first place. It was the Japanese culture of models and idols that had always fascinated her.

"Well, you have until tomorrow evening to learn as much as you can about that fashion show." the old man said as he handed her several guide books that had been sitting in a tidy bundle on his desk until then.

"Sir?" Deena's surprise couldn't be suppressed from her voice.

"As of this moment, you are the property of DFAT. And, from what I gather, they are handing you over to Ryuuji Takasu and Yasuko Takasu . Looks like a husband and wife team to me. The wife looks pleasant enough, but watch out for that Ryuuji fellow. He looks like a vicious bastard." the old man said as he handed over a form that had their passport photos on them.

Deena took the glossy and looked at the smiling pictures. A flood of fond memories came rushing back to her in that moment. The hand holding the single page began to tremble as all the pent up stress from being in the Commodore's office started to drain away.

"For the record, sir…" Deena couldn't believe she was correcting the Air Commodore, but she simply couldn't let this pass, "Yasuko is Ryuuji's mother. And, despite how he looks, Ryuuji is one of the nicest, most caring men… that I have ever met."

"Well then…" the Air Commodore could see how strongly Deena felt and realized that his hasty words could have been insulting to someone who held the person as a close friend. He could have blustered his way through such a gaffe, but something told him that young Deena Walker was just as impressive as the surprise dossier said she was. Not being a fool, he knew that impressive people like her were the ones you held onto, not alienate. "Should you find yourself in Brisbane with your charges, I hope you will take the opportunity to introduce me to such a fine young man."

"Yes… yes sir!" Deena hastily agreed.

.

* * *

The Air Commodore had been honest about being pleased with her. She did, however – feel like she had just gone through some kind of evaluation to determine her true worthiness. After they got out of his office, she had commented to the Lieutenant that the whole meeting had been unnecessary and that the old man could have just given her the orders through channels. Strangely, the Lieutenant just laughed it off as if he had understood some kind of private joke. Then he told Deena not to worry about it. He may have found some humor in this somewhere, but to Deena the whole thing had been quite exasperating.

But now, standing in the Brisbane airport with her single carry-on bag and her boarding pass in her hand, her mind was awash with memories of good friends that she would soon see again.

"Deena? Deena Walker?" a middle-aged man brought her out of her reverie.

"Yes?" Deena looked at the man and didn't recognize him. He was wearing a nice suit, but she was certain they had never met.

"What in God's name are you wearing that thing for?" the man seemed astounded.

"I am a Corporal in the RAAF. This is the appropriate uniform for civilian travel." Deena said dismissively. She didn't care for someone making fun of her country's military uniforms.

"Not right now you're not. Weren't you told that you are on loan to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade? You are going to be the liaison to a bunch of Japanese celebrities at an Australian fashion event. The success of this venture is important for our relations with Japanese textile and fashion industries. So I implore you to take this seriously." the balding man said quickly and nervously while he pulled out a notebook from his slender briefcase, "To do that, you will need to look the part and know the personalities you will be dealing with. Now, I've prepared a list and some facts…"

"A list?" Deena returned the older man's nervousness with an amused smile. "Do tell."

"Well, you will probably be interacting with their manager. We believe he speaks some English, and his name is Roogee…"

"His name is Takasu Ryuuji." Deena took over the conversation and decided to go for a _shock and surprise_ tactic to get this government functionary off her back. "He is about a hundred and eighty centimeters tall. He has black eyes, dark blue hair, and is in good shape. He married Kawashima Ami, one of the models, last – no, two Novembers ago and now has one child with her. He started his freshman year at Tokyo University last spring and his English is actually pretty good."

"You… you got everything right except for the date they got married. It was last March." the man said after checking his fact sheet.

"No, that was the public wedding. It was televised across Japan. They actually got married the previous November in a private ceremony." Deena smirked.

"How could you know that?" the puzzled man flipped back and forth looking at the entries in his notebook.

"Simple, I was there." Deena smiled at the man's look of shock. "Now, if you will excuse me, they are boarding my flight."

The man waved as she walked away. For several minutes he stood there with a stunned expression, still clutching the notebook, and looking down the long gantry that led to the plane. Through the other windows, he could see the plane backing away and heading off to it's assigned runway. It was about that time that he remembered that he had tickets to be on the same flight.

.

 **Saturday noon, February 26th – Melbourne Airport, Australia**

* * *

Deena's flight from Brisbane to Melbourne was short by comparison to the trek that the others were making from Tokyo. Short as it was, after two and a half hours in the cramped economy class seats, the one hundred eighty-nine centimeter tall girl did need to stretch her legs though. Feeling like she had been forced into a contortionist position for several hours, just walking through the terminal was an incredible relief. She was enjoying the walk so much, she almost missed the attractive young woman with a placard that had her name on it.

That's when she found out that the dolt who left himself back at the Brisbane airport was supposed to be her escort, and was supposed to have handed over everything she would need to handle the next two weeks. Fortunately, in the hours that she was in the air, the people on the ground had been able to make other arrangements.

Unfortunately, she had not been involved in the making of the arrangements and… they were not to her liking. Apparently, the buffoon she had left in Brisbane had reported that she was a visual wreck. As soon as her bags were in the boot, she was whisked off to have her nails, hair, and face done. Exhausted from that ordeal, she was looking forward to some rest in her hotel but the evil vixen that had the car keys had other ideas. So, instead of some much wanted rest, she would spend the next several hours trying on clothes.

.

 **Saturday evening, February 26th – Okayama Station**

* * *

The Shinkansen from Tokyo to Okayama had made the first part of the trip quick and easy, but the adults knew it wouldn't stay that way. Between the Okayama Station and their destination, they would be changing to smaller, local trains several times. And each time they would be moving their luggage as well as… the two infants. The Major was also concerned about the train stations where they would be making their transfers. Stations in the bigger cities were lavishly built constructs with protection from the environment and amenities like restaurants and coffee shops. But the farther one traveled from the city centers, the more the train stations scaled down until they were little more than wooden platforms to keep you from walking in the mud.

 _Crap, I've become an Urban Elitist._ _That's no way for a Nebraska farm boy to think! Hell, even their farm areas they have a better commuter train system than what I've got back home. Of course, everybody has a car back home and they drive everywhere… but that's not the point! It ain't right of me to look down on their rural train stations. And it definitely ain't right for me to have become such an urban snob._ The major was chastising himself for becoming the kind of twit that he had always loathed, and for letting the situation bring that out of him. His mood may have soured a bit, but looking around at his traveling companions, everyone else seemed to be having a good time. Clearly, they were excited to be visiting good friends and they were letting the journey be part of the adventure. Looking at them with silent admiration he thought, _They have the mindset I should have right now. Still, I wish I had a car… if only for the children._

"Major Locke?" a familiar voice called out to him. A short woman in a colorful Furisode Kimono was speaking to him. She vaguely reminded The Major of Noto…

"Hisamitsu Shinako!" The Major's memory finally clicked. She was an extremely capable woman who served the matriarch of the Hisamitsu family and would someday serve Noto, when he took the reins of leadership and responsibility for the family. "I haven't seen you since… Noto-kun's wedding, right?"

"There was the Kendo competition last May, but we didn't really have much time to catch up then." Shinako said politely.

"Ah yes. So, what brings you out here?" The Major wondered if she was on her way to a special event, considering the elegant kimono she was wearing.

"I've come to collect you. I have two cars to bring us all back… unless you would prefer to take the trains?" Shinako's question seemed serious.

"You're kidding, right?" The Major asked.

"Well, I guess it is a bit late for it, but the train ride between here and the closest station to us is very scenic."

"Is it? Well, I shall take that route in the daylight some time, but for now… I am very happy to accept your offer. Thank you very much." The Major bowed to his gracious host.

"Major, please!" Shinako blushed a bit. She was only offering him a ride. The train station wasn't terribly crowded at this time, but for such a respectful bow from the giant American… Understandably, it was drawing a lot of attention.

"Oh, I thought this much would be appropriate since you were wearing a formal Kimono?" The Major gestured to her brightly colored garment with the long sleeves. He knew enough about Japanese culture to know that something this elegant was the kind of thing worn to formal tea ceremonies and weddings, certainly not the western equivalent of jeans and a tee-shirt.

"I… suppose you are correct." She stepped forward to take his arm and, as she did, two men that had been standing behind her came forward to relieve all of them of their luggage. They did _not_ however, attempt to relieve Minori or Taiga of the infants they were carrying. As they all headed for the exit that would take them to the parking lot, Shinako quietly explained, "Actually, this is one of Nanako's creations. It really does look like a splendid Furisode, but it is made of durable but cheap fabric that can be machine washed."

"Interesting…" The Major could see the utility of it, but he knew why Shinako was speaking of it so quietly. There was more to a Furisode than it's beauty and elegance. It was also delicate and required much care for it's cleaning and upkeep. That kind of care wasn't considered a liability, rather – it was part of the cultural pride of ownership for such an luxuriant garment. To take that away by making it out of something that could simply be thrown into a washing machine could cheapen the experience of wearing a Furisode. And that could be a cause of embarrassment. He gave Shinako a deft nod of understanding and said no more about it.

.

The luggage was all loaded into one vehicle while all the passengers got into a large passenger van that reminded Yukiko of the small buses her hotel used for transporting guests to events and transportation hubs. The Major, Yukiko, and Shinako were in the front of the van and enjoying a pleasant conversation while Minori and Taiga rode in the back with the two infants. Both of the babies were sleeping now, but that wouldn't last long. Ryuuji's son was six months old and The Major's son was only two months younger, so they were still very much in the stage of needing diapers and bottles. As needy as they were, the two babies brought smiles to the faces of the two girls now caring for them.

"I can't believe this is Dumb-chi's baby." Taiga sighed while looking at the sleeping boy.

"You should probably stop calling her that." Minori said quietly. There was no reproof in her voice, only a friendly suggestion.

"Huh?" Taiga was so used to calling Ami by the disparaging nickname she had invented that she didn't realize she had done it.

"You called her Dumb-chi because of that airhead facade she used to use, right? Well, she doesn't do that anymore so…" Minori didn't want to say it but there was also the very real possibility that her continuing to use it would put a distance between Taiga and a number of their common friends.

"Oh… yeah." Taiga didn't want to admit that the reason she had come up with that name had more to do with the animosity that was left over from the first time they met… and from that stupid swimming competition. She had claimed to do a lot of growing up while she was living with her mother and to admit to holding a grudge from back then now seemed… petty. Besides that, she didn't want to criticize the swimming competition since it had been Minori's idea to solve their problem with _sport_.

"You know what they're all saying… about the babies, I mean." Minori asked Taiga to try and change the subject.

"Uh-uh." Taiga shook her head slightly but kept her eyes on little Tatsuya's gentle face and dark blue hair.

"After Noto finishes with college, he plans to move to Tokyo. Then The Major's son, Ryuuji's son, and Maya's daughters will all go to the same school together. And, since it's two boys and two girls… they might eventually date each other." Minori smiled while she wondered just what kind of future might be in store for these little ones.

"Oh, isn't that just so _schweeet_!" Taiga couldn't help the sarcasm. The overload of saccharine sweetness was too much for her to take. Mockingly, she suggested, "It makes you want to just run out and get pregnant so you can have kids in the same class, doesn't it?"

"No, if we… did that, our kids would be a year behind theirs." Minori ignored Taiga's little tirade. There wasn't anyone in Minori's life that she wanted to have a child with at the moment anyway, but it was a nice fantasy to think that all the friends would some day have children going to the same school with each other. And for the next several years, it would remain a fantasy… at least for Minori. She still had her softball dream to achieve. She might see her own children some day in the future, but Minori had clung to her vow that those pursuits were to be forsaken… or at least put on hold, until she realized her dream. _Some day… but as for the present…_ "It's too late for us now."

 _It's too late for us now._

The words hit Taiga like arrows piercing her soul. She didn't know what Minori was thinking when she said it, but no blow could have reminded her more of what she had lost… what she had thrown away from her own carelessness. Turning her head down as if intently looking at the infant in the car seat next to her, she saw the child's wobbly features through wet eyes. Despite her tears, Taiga clenched a fist out of sight of Minori and set her jaw in determination. _I will not fall into despair with another 'why me' episode! I am past that! Everyone says that Ryuuji and Ami are perfect for each other… fine! Then there is someone out there that's perfect for me too! And when I find that someone, we'll be perfect too and all my regrets will be gone!_

 _It's too late for us now._

 _Dammit!_ Taiga's determination was still present, but the wounds were still too recent and looking down at Ryuuji and Ami's child didn't help to shore up her resolve. Thinking of how that child could have been Ryuuji and hers instead, her set jaw started to quiver a little, and the despair crept in… _Why me?_

.

 **Saturday evening, February 26th – Twelve and a half kilometers over the Pacific Ocean**

* * *

"Hey, Ryu-chan…" Yasuko said while fiddling with her wristwatch, "What day will it be when we get to Australia?"

"Huh?" Ryuuji's eyes opened when he tried to understand his mother's question. He hadn't been able to get any sleep on the flight so far, so she hadn't awakened him, but it felt like she had nudged his sluggish brain from the edge of sleep. "What do you mean?"

Well, like that time we went to Hawaii, It was yesterday when we got there and tomorrow when we got back, right? So, since Australia is even farther away than Hawaii, will it be Monday when we get there… or Thursday?"

Ami turned away with her hand over her mouth. Her shoulders shook in silent laughter at Yasuko's well thought out, but incorrect conclusion.

"Time zones are laid out like stripes that go north and south because the Earth rotates along a north and south axis." Ryuuji explained, "When we went to Hawaii, we traveled east and west, so we crossed six time zones. But Australia is south of Japan, so we'll only be crossing one time zone even though the distance is farther."

Yasuko said nothing but looked at her son with obvious admiration and joy in her heart. She hadn't understood a word of his explanation, but he looked so smart when he was talking. She couldn't help herself and threw her arms around him, giving him a big hug, "Oh Ryuuji, I'm so proud of you!"

"Whaa!" Ryuuji was briefly stunned when his mother's unrestrained admiration for her son meant that he could feel the squishiness of her boobs against his arm. It wasn't the first time this had ever happened but it always caused him a moment of embarrassment and distress. He looked over at Ami for help, but clearly, he wasn't getting any aid from that direction.

"Oh Ryuuji, I'm so proud of you too!" Ami imitated Yasuko's voice as she latched onto his other arm and pressed her smaller, but still substantial breasts into him as well.

"Uh guys!" Ryuuji's blush was flaring from pink to red, but his ordeal wasn't over yet. Across his wide chest, wife and mother-in-law grinned at each other and winked. Then, they craned their necks up and kissed Ryuuji on his cheeks at the same time. "AH!"

"Ha ha ha ha!" the stewardess laughed politely, "You three are amazing to watch. But, to answer your question ma'am, it will only be one hour earlier on the same day – when we land. The easiest way to deal with it is to just look at your cell phone."

"My cell phone?" Yasuko asked.

"Yes. After we land, and you can turn them back on again, your cell phones will acquire local carrier signals and automatically switch to the correct local time and date." the stewardess explained.

"Thank you." Ami said.

"Yes. Thank you very much!" Yasuko cheerfully smiled up at the stewardess.

.

In the next row of seats, Aiko-chan was glued to the window and fascinated with watching the cloud tops so far below the plane. Off toward the distant horizon, the sun was setting and the brilliant white puffy cotton ball clouds of a few hours ago were now reflecting rose and lavender colors and casting long shadows. She wanted to see what the clouds would look like under the pale light of the moon, but that would have to be for another night. Their flight would be over long before the moon rose over Australia.

In the seats next to her, Yuri was going over some English exercises with Umeki.

"Did you learn all your English in high school and college?" Umeki asked when they came to a break in the lesson.

"Yes, I majored in Liberal Arts with a focus in English language and literature." Yuri smiled as she remembered her own exciting days as a student.

"So, that's how you became an expert?" Umeki surmised, more than asked.

"Hah! I used to think I was an expert… until I met The Major." Yuri laughed, "I found out quick that it was one thing to know a language through book knowledge, and quite another thing to try and use that language conversationally with a native speaker."

"But… The Major speaks Japanese quite well… better than some of my former classmates. How did he learn to be so good at it?" Umeki asked.

"Immersion." was Yuri's simple answer, "If you are dropped into an environment where you are surrounded by native speakers, you will learn to speak the language conversationally before you learn all the specific rules. That is also why he can speak Japanese much better than he can write in kanji."

"Oh, so that's why, when he is substitute teaching your class, he is able to present the native speaker's perspective as well as the grammer. But he needs help in reading classroom announcements." Umeki nodded.

"Huh? Where did you hear that?" Yuri asked.

"When you were out with your pregnancy and The Major was a substitute teacher for you, he always had a student read the messages from the office aloud to the class." Umeki told her teacher. Then she suddenly remembered one time that it had caused quite a commotion. She looked up at Yuri and saw the look of embarrassment on the older woman's face.

"So… when I sent the message that my water broke and that he should come to the hospital…" Yuri couldn't finish the question.

"Yes, sensei. It was read aloud to the whole class, but…" Umeki hoped that telling her sensei this would help her, "the whole class was cheering for you!"

"Oh… my… gaaaaaaaawd!" Yuri's head collapsed into her hands so that all you could see of her face were her crimson colored ears poking through her long reddish brown hair.

.

In the last set of seats, Nanako sat between Suzume and Hisako. With the two tall models on either side of her, she looked like a pawn sitting between two bishops. But both of the bishops' attention was glued to the tablet in the lap of the pawn. Nanako had a fashion design program up, and was running through some ideas for their performance costumes. Using a stylus, she would make design changes and rotate the 3D models. Hisako had seen her girlfriend working on her costume projects before, but this was all new to Suzume, and she was amazed with the computer models that were being displayed on the screen. Judging from their heights and body shapes, the 3D models were obviously Ami, Hisako, Aiko-chan, and herself – but somehow blanked out a bit. Their hair and eyes were there in their respective colors. Even their skin tone seemed right, but all the rest of their facial features were left blank as if they were tightly wrapped in a skin tone colored plastic sheet.

"Wow, Nanako-chan… that's amazing!" Suzume asked with excitement as she looked over Nanako's shoulder at some bright yellow and white, two-piece outfits, "Is that what we're going to wear at our first performance?"

"No, these are just some ideas I've been playing around with." Nanako scrolled through a dozen different designs. Some were reminiscent of school uniforms, others looked like swimsuits, while others made them look like cheerleaders.

"What about that folder?" Suzume asked about another folder that was next to the open one. She noticed that Nanako looked at Hisako before replying.

"Those are… more complex designs. They're not finished yet." Nanako sounded like she was trying to hide something.

"Oh? I wanna see!" Suzume's curiosity was stronger because of Nanako's hesitance.

"I really shouldn't." Nanako started to close down her tablet.

"She's in high school now." Hisako countered, "It's not like they're _that_ risqué."

"Please?" Suzume begged.

"Okay." Nanako gave in and opened the folder to outfits that would probably never get made, but were the things of her own dreams and fantasies.

"Oooh!" Suzume reached over and started scrolling through the designs of outfits that were obviously in the cos-play genre. "Um… why is Aiko-chan missing from these designs?"

"Seriously? She's still in grade school! I couldn't possibly design something like that for her. She's…" Nanako sounded exasperated but Suzume cut her off.

"Well you better start. Have you seen the kinds of outfits they have idols wearing these days? And to be honest, I haven't seen anything in this folder that is more revealing or risqué than what other idols are already wearing. I think you're being way too conservative with her." Suzume felt odd reprimanding her senior, but it had to be done or Aiko-chan's career would be slighted.

"But…" Nanako looked up to Hisako for support and didn't see that Suzume's fingers had hit the next folder to open it up. She knew something was wrong though when she saw her girlfriend's eyes open wide and face suddenly blush.

"Oh my!" Suzume saw that this new folder only had rendered images of Hisako in it, and they were… extremely sexy. She was looking at an outfit that seemed to be made of leather straps and chains when Nanako suddenly pulled the tablet up tight against her chest. Teasing her senior, she asked, "Okay, you probably shouldn't design anything like _that_ for Aiko-chan, but why were they only for Hisako-chan?"

"You're still in high school! I couldn't make anything like that for you either." Nanako hissed.

"Maybe not me, but don't you think Ami might be interested?" Suzume continued her playful taunting. She knew Nanako was terribly embarrassed by what was revealed on the screen and just couldn't help teasing her a little.

"Ami? No! She would never… I mean… I don't think..." Nanako stammered for a reply. Desperate for help, she turned to her lover before remembering that she too had seen the decadent design that had spawned from her erotic mind. Now she was scared of what Hisako's reaction might be… but only for a second. Hisako was staring back at her but her eyes were filled with lustful excitement. "Hisako?"

Nanako didn't get the chance to say more. Hisako's lips were glued to hers and the model's long arms had pulled her as close as the airline seats would allow. Nanako whimpered for a moment, but her passion quickly rose to the challenge and she was kissing back with all the energy she could muster.

"You… will make that outfit for me?" Hisako said in a brief pause during the kissing.

"No… it was just a fantasy idea. I didn't mean..." Nanako stopped her explanation when Hisako kissed her again.

"You will make that outfit for me." Hisako said it again and this time it didn't sound like a question.

"Um… I didn't mean..." again Nanako's reply was cut short by Hisako's interrupting kiss.

"You _will_ make that outfit for _me_." There was no doubt that this was no longer a question from Hisako… it had become a demand.

"Yes!" Nanako kissed Hisako this time. Now that she was certain that she hadn't insulted her lover, her excitement was spurred by the acceptance of her favorite fetish.

"Argh! I think I'll go to the bathroom for a bit." Suzume's teasing had seriously backfired. As much as she thought Nanako was being too conservative in her handling of Aiko-chan's wardrobe, she wasn't ready to be sitting next to the wild make-out session going on beside her now. However, just as she started to get up, she saw the indicator lights come on that meant to sit down and fasten the seat belts.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now thirty minutes out from Melbourne. Please return to your seats and fasten your seat-belts at this time. The current weather in Melbourne is twenty-two Celsius and there is a light rain. I hope you have…" the announcement went on and then repeated in English, but Suzume didn't hear any more. She was mortified at having to sit next to the unleashed passion in the two seats next to her.

 _So this is what karma is? I teased Nanako too much because I thought she was cute when she blushed and now… now I have to sit next to… this!_ She buried her face in the pillow she had been using and screamed her own embarrassment and frustrations into the fabric and foam.

.

 **Saturday late evening, February 26th – Hisamitsu Estate, Tokushima Japan**

* * *

It was late in the evening and a thick cloud cover masked the light from the stars, so the only thing to see outside the van for a while had been the illuminated pavement directly in front of them. Taiga had welcomed the isolating darkness for a while. It had helped to mask the darkness of her mood. But, no matter who might be to blame for anything that happened in her life, the beautiful infants between herself and Minori were guiltless, and looking at them had eventually lifted her spirits. Feeling a little better, she now cast her gaze out into the darkness hoping to see something… anything.

But it remained pitch black outside the windows for some time. Finally, after the two vehicles rounded another bend in the rural road, the occupants of the van could see a small group of lights from up ahead and higher up from where they were. Taiga blinked to make sure that her imagination wasn't just creating something for her idle mind.

"Is that the Hisamitsu Estate?" Taiga asked. Then she immediately winced when she thought how much she must look like a bored child asking _are we there yet?_

"That is the main house. We have been on the estate property for a while." the driver said proudly.

"Do any of you know how to ride a horse?" Shinako asked the visitors.

"Yes. I learned how to ride English style when I was in middle school." Taiga remembered the roller-coaster days of doing all kinds of little princess activities whenever her father's businesses were doing well. Then losing it all when he lost everything. She had actually been quite good at the equestrian events and was on her way to her first Cross-Country competition, when the cycle of her father's business success took a nasty turn.

"I rode a horse in Hawaii, but I never had any formal lessons." Minori admitted.

"I can ride western style." The Major answered. He had ridden horses in his youth both on his family farm and in high school for rodeo competitions. He had never been good enough to win any awards and it had been an awfully long time since he had last been on a horse, but he still remembered enough that he was sure he wouldn't hurt himself.

"I can ride." Yukiko said simply. When she was a girl, her father had sent her to Osaka to learn the old Samurai horseback style, so that she could ride in parades and other special events. Like The Major, she was certain that she wouldn't hurt herself… on any _normal_ ride.

"Very nice." Shinako smiled and revealed the next day's activities to them, "The weather is supposed to be mild tomorrow and I have arranged a pleasant ride through the hills around the estate, if you would like."

"Really?" Taiga was excited to get a chance to ride a horse again.

"Cool!" Minori had enjoyed her ride in Hawaii and had always wanted to try it again. She had even thought of joining the Waseda University equestrian club, but it would have cut into her softball training too much.

The Major and Yukiko quietly nodded their agreement and left the exuberance to the younger girls. And they were quite enthusiastic too, until they realized that their excitement had awakened the babies. But that didn't trouble either of them too much. Babysitting and taking care of infants was just one of the many odd-jobs that Minori had explored in her busy high school years. And Taiga had actually helped her mother with her newborn step-brother in the year that she was living with her. They had already changed the diapers and started both infants on a new bottle when the van pulled up to the well lit house.

When they looked up to see what awaited them, there was a bit of a shock. Noto stood next to his grandmother. Both of them were wearing Kimonos and they were flanked by several maids. As soon as the van was stopped, the maids approached to help them all out of the vehicle and assist with the babies. The men that had been with them immediately collected the luggage. Shinako stood with the arrivals as they looked up the wide steps.

"My friends, welcome to the Hisamitsu House." Noto said with a genuine smile.

.

 **Saturday night, February 26th – Melbourne Airport, Australia**

* * *

Deena looked up at the arrivals board at the airport and knew that she was early. Way too early. She fretted in the fancy clothes that rabid little twit from DFAT made her wear, tried to find a more comfortable position to stand in high heels, and checked the arrivals board again. The plane was still on time, but only a minute had passed since the last time she checked.

 _Dammit!_

Even when the flight arrived at the indicated time, that only meant the plane had reached the airport. It would still be a while after that before she would see her friends. She had traveled out of the country enough to know that they would have to go through several lengthy processes before they would make it to her.

First of all, it would take them some time just to get off the plane. Large intercontinental flights like that were… large. It was a simple fact of logistics that getting that many people off of a big airplane would take a long time. But deplaning would be nothing compared to the biggest hurdle… customs.

It didn't seem to matter where you went in the world, dealing with 'customs' was always a nightmare. Well… it wasn't terrifying, so nightmare might not be the right word. But it was boring and tedious in the extreme. Then, once they were finally done with that, she could see them.

Her friends.

She could see them again.

The incredible friends that she had done so many fascinating things with and had become so close to. There had been letters, and care packages, and phone calls since she had left them over a year ago. Those contacts had been nice, but they only stirred her fond memories and increased the longing in her heart. All of her friends meant so much to her, but there was one… The littlest one…

Aiko-chan had become attached to Deena as if she was the little girl's beloved older sister. And Deena had made a place in her heart for the cheerful little girl as well. Or… the _usually_ cheerful little girl. Deena still remembered that cold December day in Japan. Just after the happiness of watching the marriage of The Major and Koigakubo Yuri, Deena had to tell everyone that she had to go home. It was something she didn't want to do, but it was her responsibility nonetheless. Even after steeling her resolve, she couldn't help but tear up when the time came. Ryuuji-sama had been compassionate and told her to take all the time she needed.

Deena remembered…

.

"All the time… that's what I wish I had." Deena's wish was impossible and she knew that. But her actions were distressing her friends and she could see the worry starting to etch into their faces. _I can do this. I just have to… tell them._ She reset her resolve and began the speech she had practiced, "As you know, I have been temporarily assigned to the Major, and that's how I have been able to accompany him and visit with you all this time."

"Yeah, you were in Okinawa for some kind of training, right?" Ryuuji-sama said. He looked concerned, but not as worried as the others. And he certainly didn't look scared, like little Aiko-chan.

"Yes," Deena nodded and tried to go on, but she couldn't stand to see little Aiko-chan looking so scared and unhappy. Kneeling down to the young girl, she pulled Aiko-chan into a hug, "but I finished my training and my assignment to the Major is over now."

"What?" Ryuuji-sama sounded surprised.

"What does that mean, Deena-chan?" Aiko-chan's sweet little voice trembled in Deena's ear.

"It means that I am finished living in Okinawa and I am going home." Deena pulled Aiko-chan into the hug a bit closer so the little girl couldn't see the gush of new tears that were spilling from her eyes. She knew that the little one was figuring out what this all meant though. Arms that had been hanging limply were now clutching back as firmly as she was being held.

"Home? N… no…" Aiko-chan didn't want to hear this just as much as Deena didn't want to say it.

And Deena really didn't want to say any more things that would hurt the little girl. But she also knew how much pain there would be if she just suddenly disappeared. So she did the adult thing… she mustered up all her remaining willpower and said the words that she knew would make the little girl cry.

"I'll be going back to Australia tomorrow morning." Deena barely got the words out before she choked back a sob of her own. All the while, desperately holding onto her young friend.

"No! Deena-chan, no! I don't want you to go! I don't want you to leave me!" Aiko-chan's distressed voice echoed in Deena's ears long after her flight home had left Japan. She still heard it after she was assigned to her new base in Ipswich.

…

Even now, more than a year later, Deena could still hear little Aiko-chan's anguished cry.

 _No! Deena-chan, no! I don't want you to go! I don't want you to leave me!_

There had been more words after Aiko-chan's impassioned plea. Words that had been intended to ease her tormented feelings. They may have worked to some degree for the little girl. But Deena was an adult and she knew that she was probably saying a final goodbye to her friends… at least from the perspective of seeing each other in person.

But now… unexpectedly, she was going to get to see them again. Reliable Ryuuji, driven Ami, loyal Hisako, Eager Suzume, the ultimate Onee-chan, and then… the sweetest little girl she had ever met. The grade schooler who had become like a little sister to her.

She would be here soon.

They would all be here soon.

The excitement was palpable. The anticipation was killing her. Could she really be blamed for arriving at the airport a few hours early? After all, she was fed up with waiting impatiently in her hotel room. The problems now were that she had to wait impatiently in the airport, the _fashionable_ clothes she was wearing made her uncomfortable, and _time_ … Deena glanced up at the arrivals board and the plane was still _on time_ , but only a few minutes had passed since the last time she checked.

 _Dammit!_

 _Soon… Aiko-chan and all the rest of you, I will see you all soon!_ She looked up at the arrivals board to see that only a single minute had passed since the last time she looked.

 _Dammit!_

.

* * *

The flight had been long and tiring for everyone. Whether through good planning or good luck, Ryuuji and his little group had been able to stay together through the arduous deplaning routine. And now, the hurry up and wait ordeal of going through customs would take its toll. By the time they had collected their belongings, every member of the group was exhausted. They looked forward to nothing more than bath and bed. Some of them already knew that they would forgo the bath and just collapse on the bed… as soon as they got to one.

Even the usually energetic ones, Suzume and Aiko-chan were wiped out. Rubbing her tired eyes, Aiko-chan saw other adults carrying sleeping children here and there. One girl that was being carried looked like she was as big as Taiga, although she was probably a lot younger. Not for the first time did Aiko-chan wish that she wasn't so big for her age. _If I was smaller instead of bigger, Ryuuji could carry me._ She pouted at her misfortune until she heard a gasp that interrupted her mood. Looking up at her companions, she saw something odd.

Suzume and Ami were both looking at a tall blond woman wearing a fashionable summer dress. Their hands were over their mouths, their eyes were open wide, and they looked stunned at what they saw. The woman was looking back at them and she looked like she was crying. But they didn't look like tears of sorrow…

"Aiko-chan?" the tall blond woman said weakly as if she didn't believe what she was seeing.

"Deena?" Aiko-chan's body shook as if a bucket of ice cold water had been suddenly dumped on her. Recognition and realization lit the short fuse to explosive emotion. She took a deep breath of air as her eyes began to swim in a river of joyous tears. Dropping whatever was in her hands, she ran the dozen meters and jumped into the arms of the beloved Aussie giantess. All the while screaming, "DEEEEEEENAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

.

* * *

.

 **Glossary**

 **Air Commodore** \- O7, equivalent to a Brigadier General

 **Corporal** \- E5, a mid level enlisted rank in the Royal Australian Air Force

 **DFAT** – (Australian) Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

 **Flight** **Lieutenant** \- O3, an officert in the Royal Australian Air Force

 **Furisode** \- The _most_ formal kimono. Worn by young unmarried women in Japan, it is made of very fine, brightly colored silk with lively patterns or prints, and has long deep sleeves that can hang down as far as the ankles. Married women would wear an Edo Komon at _very_ formal occasions. The differences are found in the lengths of the sleeves, flashiness of the color, and print or pattern on the garment.

 **Service Dress uniform** \- shiny black shoes, dark blue slacks, light blue shirt, rank on epaulets


	3. Chapter 3 - Maya's Struggle

**Saturday late night, February 26th – Melbourne Airport, Australia**

* * *

"DEEEEEEENAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Aiko-chan's scream filled the long Arrivals hallway of the old Terminal 2 building. Dozens of other people turned towards the child's cry in time to see her leap into the arms of the tall Australian woman. And then… both of them cried at their obviously joyful reunion.

The rest of the party was glad to see Deena again too, but they would have to wait. Thanks to that annoying woman from DFAT, Deena wasn't in uniform and she didn't care who might see her cry as she held Aiko-chan in a crushing hug. And the little girl didn't hold anything back either. Her own tears flowed as she held onto her Deena-chan with all of her strength.

The tearful reunion between the two girls made everyone forget their weariness for a while. But, it also brought home their feelings for family and friends who were not with them now. The Major, Noto, Maya, Taiga, Minori, Umeko, and of course the four babies… all had been left back in Japan, and wouldn't be seen until they returned home in a few weeks. But none of them would be away longer than Deena's absence had been.

"If you like," Yasuko offered to Deena, "Aiko-chan could stay with you in your room tonight."

"Onee-chan!" Deena pulled the shorter woman in for a hug but replied, "No…"

"Huh?" Aiko-chan reacted like she was startled, and hugely disappointed.

"If it's okay with you, could I stay with both of you, tonight?" Deena asked. "I… I've missed you all so much!"

Ryuuji's smile was broad but not scary. He hadn't learned to smile differently in the last two years, but he discovered that people were less intimidated and scared of his smile when they couldn't see his eyes. That combination was still pretty fearsome, but there was a way to cope with it.

He had fallen into the custom of wearing the mirror-shades when on business with Ami… or business in general. Ryuuji found that people in the entertainment business didn't find it so odd if someone came to meet them wearing sunglasses. Others might think it strange, but a quick explanation usually satisfied their concerns. Sometimes, he considered wearing them to school as well, but after the first three or four weeks of the school year, that had been unnecessary. Word had spread quickly that the famous model, Ami Kawashima was enrolled at Tokyo U. The rumors also said that she was married to another student there. Since the two of them had several freshman classes together, and Ami wasn't bashful at all about telling people that she was married to Ryuuji, he was soon known as 'the husband of Ami Kawashima' to other students and even many of the teachers.

But for now, the only person that was looking at his smile was his wife. All the other attention was on the dramatic reunion between Deena and Aiko-chan. Ami had a smile of her own… or more like a smirk – as she leaned over and whispered into Ryuuji's ear.

"Don't get any pervy ideas. No matter how much you may have missed her, she is _not_ sleeping in our room!" Ami was able to say without giggling.

"I never said…" Ryuuji automatically started defending himself before he saw Ami's playful smirk. Then he groaned, "Ami…"

"Hey, it's going to be work work work for me, while we're here. You can at least let me have a little fun teasing my husband." Ami pouted.

"All right. I'll give you that." Since Ryuuji had put the tour together, he knew better than anyone, just how busy the performers would be. He had been able to squeeze in a little time here and there for relaxation and sightseeing, but with the photo shoots, the music performances, and the fashion show, their schedule was pretty well packed. "While we're here, you can tease me as much as you like."

"That goes for all of us, right?" Hisako said as she leaned up against Ryuuji's other side and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Eh?" Ryuuji turned to Hisako and wondered what she was up to.

"Well, we're all going to be busy and doing our best, right? So, if that helps to get rid of a little stress, shouldn't we all get to tease you too?" She asked with a feline mannerism.

"Um…" Ryuuji was thinking of how he could explain why that was a bad idea when Ami answered.

"I don't see why not." Ami chimed in, "He may be my husband, but he is the manager for all of us. So, we should all be able to rely on him to help out if we're stressed."

"Ulp!" Ryuuji's concern escalated when he felt Suzume wrap her long arms around him from behind.

"Mmmmm, I can feel the stress of that long flight floating away." Suzume cooed into his ear.

The onlookers had something else to look at now, besides the reunion between the tall blond Aussie and the short Japanese girl with an explosion of orange-gold hair. Ryuuji, with his mirror shades on and the three models models clinging to him, looked like something out of a movie poster.

"Nanako!" Ryuuji called out when he noticed the shorter purple haired girl watching him with her cherished Hisako dangling from him like some kind of sexy ornament. He was about to explain that the girls were all just doing this as a joke. But Nanako had a barb of her own to toss.

"Don't worry, Ryuuji-sama. I completely understand. In fact, I might get stressed out on this trip and I hope you won't mind if I come to you and curl up in your lap."

The barb worked, but Ryuuji hadn't been the intended target. Hisako reacted as if she had touched a bare electric wire. She jumped away from Ryuuji and stared at Nanako. The image of Nanako curled up in a lap like a comfortable kitten was sweet and wonderful. But, the idea of _her_ Nanako curled up in _somebody else's_ lap was… intolerable.

"I… I don't want you to do that." Hisako blushed a bit as she admitted her jealousy.

Nanako said nothing, but she opened her arms for Hisako to step in for a hug. Considering the nearly twenty centimeter difference in their height, one might have thought it was mother and daughter holding onto each other.

"I don't want you to go to someone else when you are feeling stressed out." Nanako didn't feel embarrassed at all to admit her selfishness. Yet another advantage for the girl that had clawed her way back from the brink of death in her last year of high school. Unlike virtually everyone else in Japan, she felt a liberation from many societal and cultural norms. It wasn't that she had become immoral, but she was able to see life from a much bigger picture now and getting embarrassed about the little things was no longer in her nature. She had also become somewhat fearless in her ability to express herself.

Hisako had gotten used to Nanako's unbound spirit for the most part. But there were still times, like this, when her own actions were pulled up short by the smaller girl with the long purple hair and the enigmatic smile.

.

 **Saturday late night, February 26th – Hisamitsu Estate, Tokushima Japan**

* * *

Shinako had led The Major, Minori, and Taiga to follow the maids that were heading for the nursery. Now, Yamada Yukiko stood alone before the matriarch and her favored grandson of the Hisamitsu family. She knew that this would be a test in more ways than one. Sure, it was important to secure an agreement that would allow the Yamada family to increase their presence in the area, but even more importantly – did Yukiko have the skills to forge a real relationship with one of Japan's elder families...

"Yamada Yukiko, heiress apparent of the Yamada hotel and resort empire. A pleasure to meet you." Obāsama said with a smile. She wondered if this young woman would be rattled by her little display of prescience. But, from the look of satisfaction on Yukiko's face, there was no shock and the only surprise was a pleasant one.

"Oh, I do love to hear that. And from one so dignified as the matriarch of the Hisamitsu family. It is quite an honor." Yukiko bowed in respect to the elder woman, then asked, "I suppose you have already guessed one of the reasons why I tagged along on this little jaunt?"

"I believe so. With the responsibility that faces you now, it is inevitable that you will have to mix at least a little business with pleasure." Obāsama said.

"True. But I am not bringing with me anything so weighty that it should interfere much with your schedule." Yukiko promised.

"It won't be my schedule that is interrupted." Obāsama placed her hand on her grandson's shoulder and announced, "My grandson, Noto. He will be taking over the responsibilities of the Hisamitsu family businesses as soon as he has graduated from University. I promised myself that I would give him at least that much before he had to take on the mantle of obligation that awaits him. But, he is an exceptional young man… so I have decided to let him test himself in the shallow waters for now."

"I see." Yukiko now studied the young man. She did not envy him the future he had to look forward to. Unlike the Yamada family, the Hisamitsu was a far older and more prestigious family, but their businesses were tied to old ways and their value was on the decline. Unless something shook up their staid ways of thinking, it was only a matter of time before their esteemed family name became a mere gravestone along the winding path of Japan's history.

"You should not discount his abilities due to his age or experience. He has my full faith and any agreement he makes with you will be honored by the family." Obāsama assured the woman.

"I have every faith in Noto-san. After all, he is a talented and courageous young man." Yukiko said with a smile.

"Oh?" Obāsama raised an eyebrow at this unexpected praise. She was always wary of those that tried to sweet talk their way into a deal. "I was not aware that you knew my grandson that well?"

"Oh, not me personally… at least not yet. But I know his reputation from people who I hold in the highest regard." Yukiko replied to the doubt she heard in the old woman's voice.

"Kawashima Ami?" Obāsama asked. She knew that the hotel heiress was close friends with the model and former classmate of Noto's.

"It is Takasu Ami now. Even though she still uses Kawashima Ami for performances, to her friends it is Takasu." Yukiko dared to correct the Matriarch in her own house, but there was a reason for it. "Her husband is Takasu Ryuuji and he is a truly amazing young man."

Noto silently nodded his head in agreement. It was a conviction he believed himself, but was surprised to hear it from someone else.

"Has he ever told you the story of how we first met?" Yukiko asked.

"He stayed at your hotel when he went to Tokyo with Ami." Noto said.

"Of course, he is too much of a gentleman to tell more of the story than that." Yukiko smiled and continued, "I did not believe in him at first. In fact, I was certain that he was a corporate spy or a saboteur from some element of organized crime. I was convinced that he had deceived all of the people in his entourage and that he was trying to deceive me. I was sure that I was right and that if I watched him closely enough, I would catch him up in his lies and his cruel intent."

Noto felt a bit of anger but he remembered a time when he was scared of Ryuuji, just like everyone else… well most everyone else.

"But I was the one that was wrong, you see. Behind that scary face, there is no malice or ill will at all. I continued to watch him, even after I had been convinced of my grievous error. In doing so, I discovered a wonderful person who is as capable as he is kind. In the end, I found someone that has earned my faith and respect to such a degree – that I will trust him implicitly." Yukiko said.

"That's good… but I don't see what that has to do with my grandson." Obāsama said.

"Ryuuji-sama told me that Noto-san was someone who was courageous and reliable. Noto-san was one of only a few people to rival Ryuuji-sama academically. Ryuuji-sama and The Major both told me how Noto-san persevered and kept his calm in the face of adversity. But most importantly, Ryuuji-sama told me that Noto-san is someone that he himself believes in. Please excuse me if you find this insulting… I know that the Hisamitsu family has a long and honorable past but, to me, there is no higher endorsement of ones character than the recommendation from someone that I myself hold in very high esteem." Instead of bowing, Yukiko stood in defense of her statement. But there was no challenge to her declaration from anyone.

"Thank you, Yamada-san" Noto bowed. "I too hold Ryuuji in very high regard. I am grateful that you have accepted me for any business negotiations with the family." _I only hope that I don't embarrass myself too much in dealing with someone so accomplished._ Noto worried about disappointing his grandmother.

"Noto-san, you are already thinking of this as some kind of competition, aren't you? Something like chess perhaps?" Yukiko asked.

"Y… yes." Noto admitted.

"I will teach you a lesson that Ryuuji-sama taught me. In competitions like chess, there is a winner and there is a loser. But, not all business dealings are competitions. We will not be competing for the same resources. We will be working together… if my proposal works out. And whenever people work together, there is an opportunity for _both_ of them to win."

 _Yes sensei!_ Noto almost said. He wanted to tell this amazing woman that he would be in her care. But that might not be appropriate when he was supposed to be on the other side of the negotiating table from her. All that he knew of business told him that he should not trust her, but her story about Ryuuji seemed genuine. Noto knew that his scary but bighearted friend could have that effect on people. After a heavy breath, he made his decision.

"I will not waste valuable time in second guessing Ryuuji's assessment. He also told me that you were a trusted and valued friend." Noto told Yukiko, "I will place my trust in you now. I acknowledge that I have much to learn from you. It may seem odd to say this since I will be negotiating with you, but I am placing myself in your care."

"As you wish." Yukiko smiled at the young man. _Well played, young Noto-san. If I take advantage of you now, I will be taking advantage of my friendship with Ami and Ryuuji… and that is something I will never do._ "Very well, you can place your trust in me. Who knows what will happen then? Perhaps, we shall become fast friends too."

.

One of the rooms in the sprawling house had been renovated as a nursery. Dressers with baby supplies, changing tables, and four cribs adorned the room… although one of the cribs was empty. Taiga and Minori were peering into the crib that held a pair of three month old babies sleeping back to back.

"So cute!" Minori sighed.

"Why don't they get their own cribs?" Taiga asked.

"They are supposed to," Shinako gestured at the empty crib next to the one that held the twins, "but the girls had other ideas."

"They're happier when they are together? I've heard that is not so unusual with identical twins." The Major said.

"Identical!" Taiga's squeal of excitement almost woke the babies. She immediately recognized her mistake and clamped her hands over her mouth. Her reaction was not unusual though. The frequency of identical twin births was always low, but in a country with a low birth rate, they became quite rare.

"There is some excitement in the family about that." Shinako told them, "If they truly are identical twins, this would be the first time in the Hisamitsu family history."

"What do you mean, if they truly are?" Minori asked.

"It was a dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy… which is to say that each of the twins was in it's own placenta. That is normal for fraternal twins. But, the placenta's were fused so there is a chance that they are truly identical after all." Shinako explained.

"Whether they're identical or not, they are both beautiful." Taiga said dreamily. She had an infant sibling of her own now, but these were babies from people she went to school with. And that made them different somehow. Taiga was lost in her own space as she looked at the wisps of light brown hair and their peaceful sleeping faces.

"Thank you, Taiga." Maya said from the doorway. The sleep from her nap hadn't entirely left her but she had made it to the room's entrance in time to hear Taiga's praise.

Taiga snapped out of her daze and spun around to see a slightly disheveled Maya leaning against the door-frame. She realized that she had just been seen having a pure cute moment and old reflexes started to kick in. _It's not like they're special or anything. They're just boring babies. All wrinkly and bloated, they look like some kind of larvae._

Taiga stopped as if she had run into a wall. She could hear the blood pounding in her ears and her mouth was already open… ready to spew the words that would shore up her defenses and renew her image. Words that would let everyone know that she wasn't soft, or weak, or… kind.

She could feel Minori staring at her and she could see the truly thankful look in Maya's eyes. Thankful and… exhausted. Exhausted?

 _Three months old…_

Taiga remembered well just how much one baby had worn her mother out. The first three months had been devastating to a woman who always seemed full of strength and will. Taiga had tried to help out as much as she could but she was in her final year of high school and was trying to do her best in her classes – to prove to her mother and to herself that she could be a dependable person. There had even been a few times Taiga had come home from school and found her mother crying… for no apparent reason.

And Maya had two of them.

"Maya… you look awful. I mean… Are you okay?" Taiga asked.

"I tried to look nice for you…" Maya pulled at the clothes she was wearing to straighten them out.

"No." Taiga trotted across the floor and put her small hands on Maya's face, forcing her to look the smaller girl in the eyes.

"Taiga?" Maya suddenly remembered the event in the school hallway when the Palm Top Tiger knocked Ryuuji out with a single punch. She thought maybe she should get away quickly, but she knew she was no match for Taiga in either speed or reflexes.

"Maya… I haven't always been the gentlest person around, but I did help my mother with her new kid. So, if there is anything you think a person like me could do to help… I mean…" Taiga stopped in surprise when Maya went to her knees and gave her a hug around her waist.

"Thank you Taiga! Thank you so much!" Maya began to sob against Taiga's chest as she clung to the slender but fierce friend.

Minori started to move over to the pair but Taiga waved her off with an _I've got this_ gesture. She had watched her own mother go through the _baby blues_ soon after her brother was born and it had lasted long enough that Taiga and her stepfather worried that it might actually be postpartum depression. Taiga had read up on that that affliction thoroughly, but her mother had recovered on her own soon after. So Taiga had an idea what her friend might be going through.

"Hey, I can look at the babies later. Let's get you back to your room, okay?" Taiga insisted.

"Um… okay." an exhausted Maya accepted Taiga's help at getting off the floor and led the way back to her room.

.

"PPD?" The Major asked Shinako, after Maya and Taiga had left the room.

"We think so." Shinako said glumly.

"What is that?" Minori asked.

"Postpartum Depression. It can happen to a woman after childbirth. There are a lot of symptoms, none of them good. They range from mood swings to…" The Major paused. Knowing what the Hisamitsu family had gone through a year and a half ago, he didn't want to say it.

"...thoughts of suicide." Shinako finished it.

"No!" Minori gasped in horrified shock.

"Don't worry. We have consulted physicians and are taking every precaution." Shinako assured the pink haired girl.

"Maybe… we shouldn't be here." Minori worried.

"No, having friends around her is a good thing. I think." Shinako then glanced at the doorway where Maya and Taiga had recently been. "I will have to re-evaluate your friend Taiga-san though."

"Why?" Minori asked.

"To be honest, I was concerned about Taiga-san coming here. I have heard many stories about your 'Palm Top Tiger' – as she is called. But… Taiga-san may be exactly what Maya-chan needs right now." Shinako said thoughtfully – as if she were considering many options.

Minori wanted to defend her best friend. She wanted to demand that Taiga should never be uninvited from a gathering of her friends. But something in Shinako's voice told her that the opinion of Taiga might already be changing to a more favorable perception. And best of all, Taiga was doing it herself.

.

 **Tuesday late morning, March 1st – Melbourne Australia**

* * *

Towering over the sweltering, sunny landscape and dwarfing the other buildings of Melbourne was the impressive Eureka Tower. And, three hundred meters up inside that tall spire, was the observation deck of the tallest building in the sprawling city. From the huge glass windows, incredible vistas could be seen of sea, shore, city, country, forests, and hills. And against this backdrop Ami, Suzume, and Hisako would be having their first Australian photo shoot. This one was for a Japanese fashion magazine targeting summer clothing styles.

Ryuuji looked at the list of what they would be doing for the next several days and a lot of the work turned out to be like that. It made sense to him after he thought about it. Sure, it was still winter back home, but summer was just around the corner when you considered the time it would take to do the photography, put together the layouts, print and distribute the media… and of course, the time it would take to manufacture enough of these garments to stock them in the stores. The aspects of scheduling and planning interested him for a little while, but it wasn't a very deep subject and he was soon back to being bored. That was what most of being a manager was all about – long periods of boredom, salted with a few moments of urgent activity. It hadn't been that long since the model's last break, so he was settling in for a long wait until the next period of brief urgency.

Trying to stay alert, he mostly watched the girls work. But he was also keeping his eyes on the others that were there too. Nanako and Umeki had started out sticking with him and watching their friends work, but while high fashion modeling may be glamorous, it wasn't always exciting. After the first hour, he had chased the other two away under the pretense that there wasn't enough room where they were shooting – for all three of them to be standing around idly. He promised to take turns with them, for the responsibility of watching over their friends, but secretly he hoped they would have more fun hanging out with his mother, Yuri-sensei, Deena and Aiko-chan.

Aiko-chan was doing well with her singing jobs, but she still hadn't broken through into the modeling world. Ryuuji was partly glad for that. He knew that the model or idol route was very tempting for a young girl, but Aiko-chan was a bright as well as talented, and he didn't want to ruin an education that would last her a lifetime for an ephemeral career that might die after only a few months.

"Hey." Deena's greeting broke Ryuuji out of his brief daydream and he realized that his eyes had been fixated on Hisako's legs. There was a brief moment of panic that someone might have noticed but he was still wearing his mirror-shades, so no-one should be able to see where his eyes had been looking. Which was… fortunate.

"Hey. Uh… where is your _imouto_?" Ryuuji replied and looked around for Aiko-chan. Little Aiko-chan had glued herself to her tall Aussie Nee-san since their arrival and he was surprised to see one without the other.

"She's conked out. Your sister… I mean, your mother's got her now." Deena said as she handed Ryuuji a black coffee.

"Thanks." Ryuuji took the paper cup of coffee and asked, "Is she asleep?"

"Oh yeah. She's got a good little nap going on, but we'll wake her in an hour if she doesn't wake on her own." Deena said. Then her tone changed a bit since she felt like she was asking something that might be personal, "I heard you have a little one of your own now."

"Oh yeah! He's six months old now, and growing so fast." Ryuuji fished out his phone so he could show her the photos of his son.

"I kept a recording of the broadcast of your wedding. And, I kept all the magazine articles about you guys too." Deena admitted while fidgeting a little.

"What… really?" Ryuuji had to remind himself that Deena had been such a Japanese culture fan-girl that she had learned the language on her own. And, she had already known who Ami and Hisako were before they had ever met.

"Yeah. The press release when Ami had her child was so sweet. I… I had that picture framed." Deena told him.

"Wow… I… uh… thanks." Ryuuji was at a loss for words. He had run into a few of Ami's more ardent fans at the college, but he never suspected someone he knew to be like this.

"I was really hoping to see the baby too…" Deena was worried that they hadn't brought their child along because they thought it might be too dangerous. If that was the case, she wanted to tell them that, despite the rough and tumble reputation that places like _the Outback_ get, Australia was definitely a safe place to bring a child.

"We wanted to bring them too, but with the schedule that we have…" Ryuuji started to explain.

"Them?" Deena asked.

"Oh yeah. I'm surprised she didn't tell you. Yuri-sensei also has a son now. Both of them are staying with Noto and Maya and their little girls. They had twins, you know." Ryuuji said.

"Twins?" Deena peeped. She looked like she might explode from a cuteness overload as she imagined all these babies together.

"I'll tell you what. This summer… well, summer for us anyway. I'm planning a reunion for late July or early August…" Ryuuji asked the tall blond to join them. It would be impossible for anyone not to see the look of profound happiness on Deena's face at that moment.

.

 **Tuesday late morning, March 1st – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

Bundled up in rugged boots and warm jackets reminiscent of the ski gear they had worn on their senior trip, Noto, Maya, and Shinako escorted their guests out to the stables to see the horses they would be riding for the day. The grounds around the stables had the dirty and mushed up look of snow that had been tread into the frozen mud, but the pasture behind it had been sprinkled with a new layer of fresh white powder and the hills and trees that they would be riding up into sparkled with the winter wonderland look of the Japanese alps.

Noto and Shinako led the others to the horses that had been assembled for the day's ride. Taiga and Minori walked with Maya between the two of them. The disconsolate young mother had tried to beg off the little journey up into the surrounding hills, but Taiga wouldn't hear of it. In fact, she was about to launch into a full blown rage when Shinako reminded Maya that there were certain responsibilities with being a hostess. Maya had accepted Shinako's reprimand, but still seemed to be dragging herself from one place to another.

"That's it. The whole depression thing just sucks. Sometimes you gotta just trust your friends to help you out." Taiga tried to encourage Maya but her well intended advice was taken the wrong way and Maya turned on her.

"You don't know what it's like. You just get mad and then you get over it. Don't try to tell me what to do if you don't know." Maya grumbled. But her sneer turned to a look of panic when she saw the raw anger on Taiga's face and her gloved hands balling into fists.

"You stupid bitch! How dare you say that to me!" Taiga yelled as she pulled Maya's collar down until their faces were mere millimeters apart, "You think I don't know depression? Idiot, I LOST RYUUJI! Don't you EVER think that you have more right to depression than me!"

"Sorry." the fear of getting a pounding from the Palm Top Tiger melted into regret when she saw the tears that were also on Taiga's cheeks. It had been a year since Taiga had come home to find a calamitous welcome, worse than anything she had imagined. And it was clear that the pain from her loss hadn't entirely dissipated. Maya bowed her head at the regret for having said something so thoughtless, and for needlessly hurting a friend. "I guess I really am just a stupid bitch, huh?"

"Ah!" Taiga realized that her own words had also been pretty thoughtless. She put her fist under Maya's chin and pushed the girl's face up until they were looking at each other once again. "No, that was my bad. I still need to work on anger issues, I guess. You're not stupid, and if anyone around here is a bitch…"

"It's me!" Shinako interjected with a smile.

"Huh?" Taiga, Maya, and even Minori were all surprised by the woman's bid for the title.

"It's true. Although this little group may have a better opinion of me, if you ask the rest of the Hisamitsu family I'm sure that's how they would describe me. It's not undue either. I've been Obāsama's enforcer for over ten years so there are a lot of feelings I've tread on, and a few ego's I've had to crush." the woman explained with an interesting mixture of pride and sorrow.

"Oh, I don't know." Yukiko chimed in with far less sorrow and more pride, when she made her claim, "To take over the Yamada company, I had to defeat my elder sisters in a competition. I'm pretty sure they, and their factions, would say that I deserve that title.

"Ha!" Taiga laughed, "Maybe we should start a club?"

"I'm in!" Yukiko announced.

"Me too." Shinako added.

Taiga's mood was considerably better now with the sudden camaraderie of her fellow self acclaimed 'bitches', but Maya was soon downcast again. The burnt-orange haired girl was quietly walking next to Taiga now, but her reddish brown eyes were on the ground and she looked like she was on the verge of tears. Maya didn't notice the concerned looks that were being exchanged by her friends, or the worried look that Noto wore almost all the time now.

"Here are your horses. They are all old retired horses, so they should be gentle rides." Shinako told them.

Minori had once asked what the old horses were retired from, back when she had gone on the trail ride in Hawaii. The answer hadn't been anything to be cheerful about. It didn't really matter what they did before. At this stage in their lives, they could be trail ride horses… or pet food. They were too old for their previous careers and nobody had a retirement program for old horses. So, as used-up as these horses might be, they were the lucky ones.

Taiga walked up to a horse that was almost all black. It had a white star and a stripe on it's nose, but was otherwise as black as ink. Since she had taken lessons years ago, she had learned something about horses and knew that this one looked like a Tennessee Walker, except for its smaller size. She had seen a few of those fast horses when her father had taken her to a horse race once, and she knew how big they were supposed to be. _So this horse_ _i_ _s either a runt, or it's a different horse breed that just look_ _s_ _like a smaller version of a Tennessee Walker._ But the idea of it being a runt appealed to Taiga. _You're just like me, aren't you?_

"I want to ride this one." she said as she raised her hand to pet the big animal.

"Oooh, it sure is a pretty one." Minori said, while patting the painted pony next to her.

One of the stable-hands came over to help her mount the horse, but Taiga surprised him by lifting her leg high into the stirrup and pulling herself up into the saddle by herself. While the stable-hand instead helped Minori onto her horse, Taiga set about looking at her saddle and seeing what she could do to make it more comfortable for the way she was used to riding. Cinching up the straps to bring her legs higher was all she really needed to do. Then she took the reins and folded them over her wrists in the way she had been taught, and she was ready to go. She was about to call out to the others to hurry up when she noticed something odd about the horse. It had made a little shake when she cinched the straps for her legs, and another when she took the reins in her hands. It's head was held a little higher and the horse felt different… and yet familiar. Taiga's eyes were open wide and her smile was one of pure joy when she realized what she was sitting on.

Minori was finally ready after getting a lot of help from the stable-hand. She was just looking up to see how everyone else was doing when she saw something incredible. The black horse that Taiga was sitting on started to trot in place with high elegant steps. Then it slowly started to turn around as if it was slowly rotating with a thrilled Taiga sitting in the middle of the spinning horse.

"Taiga! What did you do?" Minori gasped, then she looked at her own horse and wondered if it would suddenly start doing that.

"I… I've ridden that horse several times… and it never did that before!" Maya said from atop a gentle brown and white horse.

"This horse was trained to ride English style." Taiga said with enthusiasm and asked, "Do you train for dressage here?"

"No, these are all older horses that were acquired for the family to take trail rides, and for the workers to get to some of the more remote places on the property. I don't think Obāsama is aware that he can do that." Noto said. From his expression, it was clear that he had no idea any of the horses had been trained that way either.

"What is his name?" Taiga asked while canting out of the stables to the snowy pasture.

"Midnight Star." Maya called after her and urged her own horse to catch up to Taiga. Unfortunately, it was more of a plodder than a trotter and she quickly fell behind. But Noto was nearby, so she turned to her husband and told him, "I… I want to do that!"

"Huh?" Noto asked, but his attention was on something else. More precisely, it wasn't on Maya's words so much as it was on her expression. For the first time in several days, Maya was holding her head up and seemed excited about something.

"I want to learn to ride English style, like Taiga!" Maya pleaded with him now, "Please, is that something that I can do?"

"Yes. But don't think that you will learn it overnight. Ask Taiga how long she was training before she learned to ride like that. It's something you will have to stick to… if you really want it. Do you?" Noto didn't want to discourage his wife, but he didn't want to set her up for disappointment and failure either. He liked the energy he was seeing and more than anything, he wanted to challenge her to do her best. And, by doing so, pull herself out of her fugue.

"Yes! Yes, I do!" she said to Noto. Then turning back to Taiga, she urged her horse to try and go a little faster while calling out, "Taiga! Wait up! I need to ask you some questions!"

"How long can all of you stay?" Shinako asked. She was also thrilled that something had finally sparked Maya's interest and lifted her out of her postpartum despair.

"I will have to be returning tomorrow." Yukiko said sorrowfully.

"I'll see you off to the station." The Major said to Yukiko. Then, turning to Shinako he said, "I will be able to stay for three weeks."

"Taiga can stay until the next semester starts back up, but I need to leave on the twelfth or thirteenth for a baseball camp near Sendai." Minori answered.

"Good. I wish you could stay longer, but I know your dream is important to you." Noto said to Minori. Then he told everyone, "I can't tell you how much I appreciate what your presence here is doing for Maya. I invite all of you to stay for as long as you can."

"We'll do what we can. For now though, let's see if we can get these horses into a gallop and catch up with those two girls." The Major said with an sporting smile.

.

From her window overlooking the big field that led to the nearby hills, Obāsama saw the smaller girl and Maya riding out front and the rest of the group galloping to catch up with them. An eyebrow raised at the sight of seeing her daughter-in-law finally doing something other than moping about. She was also surprised at the horses themselves.

"Huh… I didn't know those old horses could gallop." she mused.

.

 **Tuesday evening, March 1st – Melbourne Australia**

* * *

With the photo-shooting over for the day, the models and their friends finally had a chance to relax together. Since it was the end of summer in the southern hemisphere, everyone decided to try out the hotel's swimming pool and eat at the little café at the poolside. Ryuuji and his party weren't the only people down at the pool and Ami and her friends weren't the only girls there either, but their entrance certainly drew a lot of attention. With Ryuuji as the only man surrounded by nine pretty girls, he looked like some kind of Asian prince with his harem in tow.

While the girls all headed to the café and started trying to make sense of the menu, Ryuuji spotted a group of young men nearby and watching all the girls with interest. He knew that sooner or later they would make their way over, so he decided to cut to the chase and approached them instead. When they noticed him approaching, many of them tensed up.

#Hello, do you speak English?# Ryuuji had been continuing his English proficiency with classes at his University and help from Yuri and The Major, so it was really no surprise that they understood him.

#Yeah mate. We speak English.# one of them replied.

#Ah good. And my English is not so bad?# Ryuuji asked.

#It's fine. You… got some business with us?# the man asked suspiciously.

#The girls. I thought you might want to know some things.# Ryuuji pointed out Ami and Yuri and said, #Those two are married.#

#Those two and those two are in relationships with each other.# he pointed out Hisako and Nanako, then Suzume and Umeki.

#So, the only ones available are the goldie and the two blondes?# the man asked.

#Well, the girl with the golden hair is actually a grade schooler, so I wouldn't recommend it.# Ryuuji suggested. He watched the men blanch and look again at the girl that had just been identified as _too dangerous to touch_.

#So… ah… what's the story on the other two?# the man asked.

#The tall one is an Admiral in the Australian Air Force… I think. She's here representing her government. And the shorter one…" Ryuuji trailed off. All of the men had lost interest and were wandering away. Apparently, none of the men had the stomach for dealing with a government worker… or someone in the military… or both. He never got the chance to tell them that the last member of the party was his mother.

"What was that all about?" Ami looked up when Deena asked Ryuuji what he had been up to with the group of men.

"Nothing really. So, what looks good on the menu?" Ryuuji asked to deflect the topic of conversation.

Deena gave a little huff. She knew he had just blown off her question but she would let him get away with it. She started to explain the menu options to Ryuuji but his attention wasn't all on the food. He could see Ami's disapproving look and he knew he would have to be giving her a full accounting later.

.

 **Tuesday evening, March 1st – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

The horses had taken them pretty far up into the surrounding mountains. They had passed the tree line and come upon a shoulder of the mountain where there was a high meadow with an old wooden house and small stable. In other times of the year, this meadow would be full of grasses and wildflowers, but in these lingering days of winter, there was still a lot of snow on the ground.

The Major stood gazing out the big window that overlooked the wide porch, the snow covered meadow, and the distant line of mountains that rose up on the other side of the river valley far below. The fading light in the sky gave the snow covered peaks pastel hues that ranged from pink to blue. But it was the meadow that had The Major's attention.

"I believe the phrase from your country is - 'a penny for your thoughts' Major?" Noto said as he offered the older man a steaming mug of cocoa.

"I was just thinking how much I would like to see my son playing in that field. Throwing himself into the powder to make snow angels. Rolling up snow to make a snow man. Having snowball fights with his friends. Maybe even… learning to ski." the Major mused while the heat of the mug warmed his hands.

"Did it snow much in the place where you were raised?" Noto asked.

"Nebraska?" The Major chuckled, "Oh yeah. It snows a lot there. You can build lots of snowmen, but it's not easy to learn to ski there."

"Why not?" Noto asked.

"Imagine a landlocked territory that almost has as much area as all of the Japanese islands combined. It is vast, but it is almost all low hills and farmland. There's not a single mountain in the state." The Major sounded a little nostalgic while describing the place where he had come from.

"Please excuse me for saying so Major, but it sounds awfully boring." Noto said. He had been about to ask if it at least had any nice beaches when he remembered that The Major had said it was landlocked.

"A place is boring when the people are boring." The Major quipped then explained, "Not everyone feels that way, but a lot of people have very happy lives in Nebraska."

"I suppose that is true of any place." Noto agreed. He took a sip of his cocoa then told The Major, "This land belongs to the Hisamitsu family and we have used it as a family retreat for over a hundred years. I can remember coming here on family vacation trips when I was growing up. I played with the other children out there…"

The Major noticed that the young man's voice trailed off and he knew that Noto might be remembering better times as a child when he played in that meadow with his look-alike cousin. The cousin who tried to kill him when her obsession and jealousy drove her insane. The cousin that had turned out to actually be his older sister. But in the golden days of his youth, in this place, she was just a cheerful girl that was always glad to see him and always willing to play with him. While he was lost in thought, Noto's free hand absently covered the spot where the cold steel blade of the knife had stabbed into his chest.

"I'll never forget how you and Yuri-sensei… and Ryuuji and Ami, came to our rescue. If it hadn't been for you, Nanako would have died. And if that had happened, I don't know if Maya would have ever recovered from that." Noto said quietly but firmly.

The Major felt the gratitude and tried to think of something to say, but Noto spoke again before he could find the right words.

"So, in my opinion you… all of you… are family. At least you are to me. And I'm pretty sure Maya would agree to that as well." Noto looked up to the Major and told him, "So, you should look for invitations to join us for family retreats. I look forward to all of our children playing together too." Noto said.

"Noto-kun, I appreciate the offer, but won't your hands be full with the affairs of the actual Hisamitsu family soon?" The Major asked.

"I will. There will be members of the family that I've never heard of coming out of the shadows to seek me out. Some of them will be trying to curry favors, while others will be harboring grievances for some decision I've made. Shinako has been preparing me for this… eventuality. I'm sure you've heard the axiom that it is lonely at the top." Noto asked mirthlessly.

"I have. But I hadn't heard that the position you were going into was so desperate." The Major asked.

"It wouldn't be so bad if the family businesses were in ascendancy, like the Yamada family." Noto nodded over to Yukiko who was talking and laughing with the other girls at the moment. "But the truth is that the Hisamitsu family is in decline. I already know that I will have to make many tough decisions. They will be unpopular, but they will be necessary. And, until my efforts bear fruit, I won't be making any friends within the family. It is likely that Shinako will soon be the only member of the family that I can trust… for quite some time."

"Have you always known that this burden would fall to you?" The Major asked.

"I guess… since middle school, I knew there was a chance that I might be the one they'd pick. But, until my last year of High School, I had hoped that the family would choose one of my cousins… instead of me. I had already picked out a dream career that wouldn't have made any trouble for anyone." Noto fondly remembered his lost ambition to be an editor for an entertainment magazine, then to become a freelance writer. Ryuuji hadn't seemed to have any ambitions back then – he had even written off going to college because of the expense. _Everything is upside down now. Ryuuji is in the entertainment industry while I'm…_

"I'm gonna give you a little piece of advice that it took me years to understand." The Major sipped his cocoa and kept his eyes on the darkening skies while he told Noto, "Everybody needs a hobby. For the next decade or two, you're going to be going all out with all the requirements on your time. Between raising kids in your immediate family and running the family business, I'm guessing you might be missing a lot of sleep. But, sooner or later, you'll look around and wonder why you're bored. Maybe the kids will all be grown and gone, or the family business will have been straightened out enough for you to take a step back. Whatever the reason is, you will need something to fill that gap… something you really enjoy, something to keep your moving."

"Major?" Noto was confused. As far as he knew, he and The Major were not too different in their positions in life. Both of them were just starting out with their families and… Then it hit him. Although he was still in college and only taking the first baby steps into the career that had been decided for him, The Major had gone from being a full time military man to a reservist that only worked one weekend a month… or something like that. His wife was now a full time teacher at a prestigious school in Tokyo, while The Major had become a full-time dad.

"My father builds bird houses out of scrap wood." The Major went on, "He's always been good with wood. He's been fixing houses and barns and fences for as long as I've known him. But his kids are all grown and gone and he's sold his business to some younger men. So now, he makes bird houses."

"Are they any good?" Noto asked.

"The bird houses? I guess so. My mom told me that he had made so many that the whole front yard was filled with them. She started selling them just to get her yard back and now they make an income from his recycled bird houses." The Major chuckled at the idea of his mother trying to clear out the front yard by selling birdhouses on the side of the highway to tourists and passers-by.

"I'm afraid I won't have time for that." Noto did like the idea of creating something with his own hands though.

"It doesn't have to be bird houses. It could be a lot of things. Golf, scuba diving, chess, stamp collecting… there are a lot of possibilities. What was it that you wanted to do back in high school?" The Major asked.

"I wanted to be a writer." Noto said. Even as he said the words, he realized the possibilities. Writing didn't require a lot of equipment or setup time. It didn't require club memberships or maintenance costs. It was something he could do in his spare time, and it was something that he could leave for a while and come back to. But most importantly, it was a dream he no longer had to give up.

"You're smiling again. Did I help you come to a happy decision?" The Major asked.

"Yeah. Thanks for that." Noto actually felt as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders when the truth was that there was now something else that would be demanding his time. But it was something he enjoyed dearly, and that was all the difference. Noto decided to try and return the favor and asked, "So, Major… was there something you dreamed of doing when you were in High School?"

"Heh." The Major laughed and, turning to Noto said, "I wanted to be an astronaut."

"Oh, uh… that was a pretty ambitious." Noto smiled, but he wouldn't be able to help with a dream like that.

.

 **Wednesday afternoon, March 2nd – Tokushima Japan**

* * *

Noto and The Major drove Yukiko back to the Okayama Station to catch the Shinkansen back to Tokyo. It was a long drive, but more comfortable and quite a bit faster than taking the local trains to get there. And, with The Major driving, it gave Yukiko and Noto more time to firm up their arrangements. Just as they got to the train station, their conversations were interrupted when all of their phones erupted in a cacophony of audible alerts. All of them reached for their phones, but there had been no disaster. Ryuuji had sent them all an avalanche of photos from their trip so far.

Aside from the vertigo inspiring pictures from the Eureka Tower, there were also pictures from this morning when the girls had apparently gone to a photo shoot in Melbourne's Botanic Gardens. It was a little bizarre seeing these pictures of their friends and loved ones in summer clothing and surrounded by lush green vegetation and flowers, when everything in Japan was still cold and gray from the lingering winter.

"Wow, Yuri-sensei looks nice in that evening dress." Noto commented as he flipped through the pictures on his phone.

"I'll bet Onee-chan got her to wear that." Yukiko could imagine the modest teacher getting embarrassed and trying to beg off wearing something so… sexy.

"You're probably right." Noto agreed.

"Um… which picture is this?" The Major had parked the car and was thumbing through the pictures that had been sent to his phone now.

"It's number forty-seven on my list." Noto called out and scrolled through the remaining pictures in his phone. He took a little extra time looking at the ones of Nanako and Hisako. With a bittersweet smile, he wondered if they had any idea how much they were being missed. Maya's depression had hit her as soon as they had left for the airport. It hadn't been a gradual thing either. One minute she was waving goodbye to her friends, and the next minute she was bawling. But, at least things were looking up on that front.

"How soon can you start breaking ground?" Yukiko interrupted his family thoughts with business, but she did have a train to catch, so it couldn't be helped.

"I will have to talk things over with Obāsama, but I believe we can get started before the end of the month." Noto offered. Yukiko's plan to develop a resort vacation area aimed at Japan's aging population, was a sound idea. It was her timetable that would be a problem for Noto. The Hisamitsu family had assets all over Japan, but he didn't have any authority for anything outside of Tokushima… yet.

"All right, the sooner the better. I'll be counting on you." Yukiko said as she turned and walked quickly into the terminal building. She tried to hide her smile from Noto. It wouldn't do to have her business partner and kohai see the mirth on her face at the moment. She knew it was a nearly impossible task to have that much heavy equipment in place in the time frame they had been discussing, but it wouldn't hurt anything if he failed by two or three weeks and it would be an important lesson for him about over-committing.

.

Noto moved up to the front seat to sit next to The Major after Yukiko left. He pulled out his tablet and started looking at where the family had any heavy equipment that was idle. Unfortunately, there were too many places and none of them were close.

"I know a few things about logistics." The Major told Noto, "Are you sure you can hit that schedule? It's pretty aggressive."

"I can if I can get things moving in the next day or two. We have a construction unit in Hokkaido that just finished a project, but they would have to be ferried and that would take too long." Noto tapped the monitor and the map of Japan expanded then zoomed into the northern half of the main island. "There is a group south of Sendai waiting to see if they win the bid on some seawall work, and another group in Aomori that just lost a bid for regional road repair. Finally, there are these guys in Osaka…"

"Wouldn't they be the closest?" The Major asked.

"Yeah, but they are really only set up for seawall work." Noto said.

"Hmm…" The Major slid his teeth across each other while he considered the problem.

"You have an idea?" Noto asked.

"Yeah… but keep in mind that I'm not used to moving civilian's around. But, if it was a military operation… I would have the Osaka and Aomori units on the road heading for Sendai as soon as possible. At the same time, have the Sendai unit start heading for Tokushima." the Major said.

"But… if the government in Sendai sees us pulling out, that may affect the bid… and we really need that business." Noto countered.

"Perhaps." The Major thought about the political implications for a moment and suggested, "If you tell them that you are replacing the local unit with a unit from Osaka that specializes in seawall repair, that might satisfy them."

"It… just might." Noto looked his map over again to make sure he didn't miss anything, then he pulled out his cell phone and called his grandmother.

.

Back at the Hisamitsu Estate, it was feeding time for the babies. Taiga had one of the twins in her lap and Minori had the other one. Obāsama had The Major's son and Maya was feeding Ryuuji's son from her breast. She hadn't intended to, but it had just happened so naturally. For the past three months, she would sit down with a child, her breasts would drop, and she would feed the baby until it was full or fell asleep on her. But… something was different. This little boy was grasping her finger and looking into her eyes like her own daughters had – hundreds of time now. But… there was something very different.

Maya felt as if that child's gaze was looking straight into her soul. This child was connecting at a whole different level than anything she had yet experienced from her own daughters. She felt as if his spirit was embracing her in a warm loving hug, and she was embracing him right back. A twinkle in his eye made it look like he even understood her feelings and was responding to her. Maya's eyes grew wide with wonder and love for this infant. But then, the guilt hit her.

 _Wait… why don't I feel this connection with my own daughters? Why do I just feel like a food source with them? Where is the warmth and the love? Do I… not love my own daughters? Oh no! What's wrong with me?_ Maya was starting to work herself into a panic when the sound of Obāsama's voice interrupted her.

"Are you planning on growing up big and strong so you can date one of my great granddaughters?" Obāsama asked the hungry boy that was clutching at her hands that held the bottle, "If you do, you better treat her right – or I will haunt you for the rest of your life."

"Obāsama!" Maya gaped at the bizarre comment.

"Well? I may not be alive by the time they are old enough to date." the old woman tried to justify her comment.

"That's not the issue! You can't threaten a baby like that." Maya said indignantly.

"Obāsama," Shinako interrupted what looked like it could turn into an argument with a message for the matriarch, "Noto-san has called for you. He is on the phone in your office."

"Very well." Obāsama started to hand over the infant to Shinako when she noticed how eager the young lady was to take the child, "This had better not be a ploy to take my great-grandson out of my hands!"

"Obāsama!" Shinako reacted as if she had been caught at something devious, then told her elder, "All joking aside, he wants to talk to you about moving the Sendai heavy construction unit."

"Unfortunately, that does sound like something he would want to talk about." the old woman regretfully handed over the bottle and then the infant to Shinako and left for her office.

"Ah, now it's my turn." Shinako wasted no time in taking Obāsama's vacated rocking chair and was soon comforting the jostled child.

"She does know that he's not hers, right?" Taiga asked Shinako.

Maya looked up nervously to see if they were talking about her.

"Huh?" Shinako blinked.

"You are holding Yuri-sensei's son… and Obāsama called him her great-grandson. But he's not." Taiga explained her question.

"Don't worry, she isn't going senile." Shinako laughed at the idea, "For several months, Nanako and Maya have been wondering if – someday, Ami's and Yuri's sons would marry Noto and Maya's twins. One of the reasons everyone was invited here was so that Obāsama could meet her prospective great-grandson-in-laws."

"Minori… uh… could we switch?" Maya asked. She didn't want to give up this darling little boy, but the guilt and fear was beginning to get to her. Her fear was that she lacked the capacity to love her own daughters. _But, maybe I'm wrong. After we switch, I'm sure to feel that same connection with my own child. Yes! I'm sure of it._

"Sure, I don't mind." Minori replied in her usual cheerfulness. Maya stayed in her seat and the athletic Minori juggled the babies between them until she had a little boy and Maya was now seated with one of her girls.

The child latched on and looked up at her mother… but there was nothing there. There was no spark, warmth, or twinkle.

 _No!_

Maya looked down and recognized the little girl she was holding, but there was no connection beyond the exchange of fluids. The little girl's eyes stared up at her mother's eyes, but Maya felt nothing. Well, nothing special anyways. There was the feeling of responsibility for the well being of a child, but…

 _Where is the love? Why don't I feel anything for my own daughters? I… I don't hate them but… there's just nothing there! Why? I want to love my daughters! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?_

Maya felt her emotional state falling like a rock. She bent over her daughter so no-one could see the tears come. Her friends knew nothing of the anxiety that troubled her now. All of Maya's anguished cries for help never left her tortured mind. But the others knew something was wrong. She may not have vocalized her fears, but she couldn't completely hide her shaking shoulders, or the sound of her sobs.

.

In her office, Obāsama looked at a map on the wall. It was huge and had many colored pushpins in it. She called this 'old school' and insisted that it was easier for her to get her mind around planning this way, than with some digital map on a tablet. But she didn't begrudge others their proficiency with them. And now, she was looking at the pins with the orange heads. It was almost Spring now, and the high mountain roads would either still have snow on them, or they would be slick with melting runoff. But, Noto was right. If they were careful and took their time, all the assets could be in place by the end of next week. She picked up the phone again and started issuing orders. There was reluctance to move their equipment on such short notice, but they all agreed.

And, it looked like Noto's greatest concern might not be an issue. If there were no transportation problems, the Aomori unit would arrive in Sendai, to replace the unit at the waterfront, only a few days after the Sendai unit left. This would be putting a lot more pieces of the Hisamitsu businesses into play for Noto's first exercise, but she had reviewed the agreement he had made with Yamada Yukiko and agreed that it was a worthy venture.

.

* * *

'

 **Glossary**

 **Dressage** – a highly skilled form of horseback riding, aka: English style.

 **Imouto** – little sister

 **Kohai** – junior (as Senpai is senior)

 **Nee-san** – older sister

 **Obāsama** \- "grandmother" said very respectfully


	4. Chapter 4 - Walk the Same Carpet

**Monday evening, March 7th – Tokyo Station**

* * *

"Minami-san!" a man's voice called out as Umeko was leaving her train. As a hostess on the Shinkansen's elite Green Car, she had stayed behind to make sure the cleanup was complete before leaving and was a bit surprised that someone was calling for her. She turned and saw a middle aged man walking toward her. She had only met him a few times before but recognized him as the Director of Green Car operations for the Japan Rail East company.

"Director?" Umeko politely bowed as he approached, "What can I do for you?"

"I understand you have asked for tomorrow off?" he asked.

"Yes. My sister is Minami Suzume, one of the models that works with Kawashima Ami. She will be making her red carpet debut in Australia tomorrow and performing with Aiko-chan later that evening and I don't want to miss it." she gushed. She suddenly realized she had just given over a lot more of her private life than what was really necessary to answer the question, and was a bit embarrassed about it.

"I can see that you are very proud of your sister… and very excited about her performance." the Director said.

"Yes." Umeko tried not to gush any more… especially to someone she only knew professionally.

"Well, I need to tell you now then." the Director said with a smile, "As of tomorrow, you will no longer be working as a hostess on the Green Car."

"What!" Umeko panicked. She wondered what she could have done that would have warranted her dismissal.

"Sorry, I said that wrong. Don't worry, this is a good thing." the older man was an excellent organizer, but had never been very good at public speaking… or communicating verbally with other people at all. Even now he was wishing he had done this by email instead of trying to personally talk to the attractive woman.

"A good thing?" Umeko repeated what he had said but couldn't see how this could be good.

"Please… let me try this another way. Do you know what important thing happens with the JR-East line in two days?" the Director asked.

"Um, the new E-5 trains start running on the Shin-Aomori route." Umeko answered. It was a huge event for the company and had been heavily advertised. The new E-5 trains could make the run at an unprecedented three hundred kilometers per hour.

"Very good. You could also say that it is going to be called the Hayabusa train, and that it will be introducing a new level of luxury that no other Shinkansen in JR-East has ever had." the Director said proudly.

"You mean, the Super-Green Car?" Umeko asked. She had heard of a new class of car that was above and beyond the Green Car service she had always worked in.

"It will be called the Super-Green car at first, so that people will make a connection to it as a step above the Green car. But it will eventually be called the Gran Class car. I had been asked to select the best of the Green Car hosts and hostesses to become the leaders who would work with the select crews on the new Gran Class car." he told her while looking at her meaningfully.

"Oh?" Umeko had heard of some of her peers getting interviewed to take some of those new positions, but she hadn't talked to anyone about it.

"That is why tomorrow will be your last day as a crew-member on the Green Car. On Wednesday, you will be the lead hostess on the new Super-Green car on it's inaugural run to Shin-Aomori." the Director told the stunned young woman.

"But… I didn't interview for that position!" Umeko stammered in surprise.

"There was no need. Only the junior positions required an interview. The senior positions were already selected." the Director told her.

"By you?" Umeko suddenly understood what all of this meant.

"Yes." the Director answered simply.

"Thank you very much for your consideration of me. I shall do my best to never cause you any regret." Umeko bowed low in respect and thanks for the incredible opportunity.

"I had hoped you would feel that way. Unfortunately, I had to cancel your day off." the Director told her as he handed her something that looked like a shopping bag.

"Huh?" A dazed Umeko received the bag but kept looking up at the Director.

"In the bag is a book describing the Super-Green Car. There is another book on management and leadership. They are not big books but you should go through them tomorrow." the Director paused and looked like he was forgetting something. Then he remembered and told Umeko, "There is also a new uniform. Make sure it fits you before you come in on Wednesday."

"Yes… yes Director." Umeko glanced down at the bag now and saw the plastic wrapped parts of the new uniform she would be wearing, and wondered if she could get all of this done in one day.

"I know I've given you a lot to work on, so you will be paid for tomorrow. But, no matter how hectic your day is, do take the time to watch your little sister's performances. That is important too." the Director said.

"Yes! Thank you, Director." Umeko bowed again. She was still stunned and could only watch him walk away until he rounded a corner of the hallways and was out of sight. _Did that really just happen? Am I really going to be assigned to the new Super-Green Cars?_ But the bag pulled at her hand as a physical reminder that it had all been real.

Umeko knew then that the relaxing day off that she had been looking forward to, was now lost. But she wouldn't have been able to relax now anyway. Getting an assignment to the Super-Green Car was unbelievable. She hadn't even signed up to interview since there were so many more senior hostesses that were vying for those positions… _Oh no! I just got promoted ahead of all my senpai's. What… what will they think of me? What if they don't believe I am worthy to lead them?_ Feeling her panic swelling, she remembered what the director had said when he handed her the bag. Desperately, she reached into the bag and fished out the books. Just as he said, there was a book on lower level management for her. Fortunately, it wasn't a vast tome of management principles and concepts from every place and time. It was a smaller book that seemed to be focused on the management roles in the host / steward industry. She was thankful for that. The book on getting to know the Super-Green Car was actually thicker. As she flipped through the rolling stock manual, she thought, _Well, I was a jock in school and never learned how to be a speed reader. Looks like I'll be pretty busy tomorrow after all._

.

 **Tuesday afternoon, March 8th – Melbourne Australia**

* * *

The Melbourne Fashion Week would soon kick off with much fanfare. Red Carpet arrivals by celebrities from all over the world would start the evening. Then there would be live performances and even fireworks. The organizers had gone all out to make this the biggest fashion event of the year. In the midst of all this calamitous activity, a young woman was wondering if it might be better if she played sick. The thought of getting involved in all these crowds was more than a little frightening. Sure she had been in crowded places before, but not so close to the center of attention as she would be today.

Deena Walker was a talented member of Australia's military. She was a fine linguist, an excellent technician, and a stalwart friend. But none of those professions or talents set her up for being able to… _smile for the camera_. But Ami, Ryuuji, and especially Aiko-chan expected her to be with them when they made their appearance. She had promised she would, when they had asked her… a few days ago. But it was almost showtime, and Deena was worried that she might freeze up and embarrass everyone. To top off all her other anxieties, she was walking into the hotel in her bare feet because the heel of the shoes she had planned to wear had just broken. _What else could go wrong?_

 _Ring-ring!_ The telephone in her purse cried out for her attention.

#Moshi moshi.# Deena answered.

#In English, Ms. Walker.# the voice was that of the intimidating little woman who had ruthlessly changed Deena's wardrobe the day of her arrival in Melbourne. This was the same woman that was responsible for Deena walking around in heels in the first place. For that crime alone, Deena would have liked to toss her into a crocodile infested swamp. But, since she was an agent of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deena was technically working for her.

#Sorry, can I help you?# Deena asked quickly. She was in a hurry to fix her shoe emergency and didn't need this interruption.

#Have you read your email?# the woman asked brusquely. It seemed that she was busy as well.

#Um… no.# Deena hadn't even thought about her email since her friends had arrived at the airport. After all, she was with anyone she wanted to get a message or an email from. So, why bother?

#Honestly, Ms. Walker! You are working for DFAT now and representing our country. Have you no pride in Australia at all?# the exasperated woman blasted Deena over the phone.

#What!# Deena was about to start yelling as well, but the fact was that she had not bothered to check her email… or check in with her DFAT connection… since her friends had arrived. #I'm… I'm sorry. What is it that you need me to do?#

Deena hoped it was something she could do quickly and be done with it.

It wasn't.

.

After catching up on her emails and instructions, Deena was mentally in a very uncomfortable place. She had to push past her military technician persona and become more. And, she had to do it quickly. Part of her wanted to scream about the unfairness of asking so much of someone. But the more rational part of her admitted that this was what she had signed up for, when she agreed to this assignment. So, with her broken heeled shoes still in her hand, she walked into the hotel lobby and greeted the guests she had been told to introduce to Ami and the others.

They were not more government officials. These women were the designers, representatives and employees of the fashion industry from across Australia. And, if Deena had bothered to check her email in the last several days, she would have known that they were here to dress the models up in their latest splendor.

When she and her party got to the floor where the models were staying, they found Ryuuji standing outside the door. He hadn't put on his mirror-shades and was looking positively psychotic as they approached.

"Ryuuji-sama, is something wrong?" Deena asked. At the same time, she tapped her cheekbone next to her eye as a signal to him.

"No. They are all getting ready inside." He blushed. In fact, no-one had asked him to leave the room. But having all those women changing clothes and wandering around in varying states of undress, was too much for him. Despite his embarrassment, he understood Deena's signal and fumbled for his mirror-shades. As he slid them over his eyes, he asked Deena, "So… who are these people who are trying to hide behind you?"

"Oh yeah… sorry. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry for springing this on you at the last minute!" Deena's fumbled apology confused Ryuuji more than it answered his question.

"Hey, it's okay. Just tell me what's going on." Ryuuji tried to calm down the tall blond Aussie.

"Um… well, my boss at DFAT sent me an email several days ago but I didn't read it until a few minutes ago. Anyway, these people represent different parts of the fashion industry in Australia and they are here to… dress everybody up for the event." Deena told him. She was ready for him to explode like her DFAT manager had. The woman had made it quite clear that waiting to the last minute was unacceptable, and she would understand if Ryuuji felt the same way. So Deena was quite surprised when he started laughing.

"Seriously?" Ryuuji moved out of the way of the door and gestured for them to enter, "The thing they are most worried about is what to wear. This might really help everyone calm down."

.

Unfortunately, Ryuuji had been overly optimistic. It wasn't that the style of the clothing that the designers brought was terribly outlandish or too revealing. If anything, Nanako thought it a bit conservative for a fashion show. The real problem was the last minute surprise element. Suzume was on the verge of hyperventilating and holding onto Umeki as if she were a scared child holding onto a security blanket. Hisako was livid at what appeared to be a last minute change in plans that looked like it would only end in disaster. If it hadn't been for Nanako's seemingly calm reaction to all this, Hisako would have already stomped out of the room and laid flat anyone that tried to stop her. Ami couldn't help but think that a professional manager would have known about this and, despite all his efforts to be a good manager for all of them, her husband's inexperience was definitely showing. Ryuuji could feel Ami's disappointment in her cold glare and was trying to calm everyone down, but it wasn't his voice that got them all to stop and listen.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! Please don't blame Ryuuji-sama. This is all my fault." Deena bowed deeply to everyone in the room.

"Deena-chan?" Hisako's voice registered her surprise.

"This is a job… and I treated it like a vacation. I have let everyone down and I'm sorry." Deena told them. "The people that offered me this position were relying on me and I let them down. And I came to you like friends when it is my job to get you to do… certain things. I don't want to abuse our friendship by making you do something you don't want to do, so…"

"STOP! Stop right there." Ami yelled and stomped over to stand in front of the bowing Deena. Then, she turned to Ryuuji and asked, "You know what she is about to do, don't you?"

"Yes." Ryuuji regretfully admitted.

"You should not have let it get this far." Ami took a step toward her husband but it wasn't for anything romantic. She demanded of him, "Fix this. Fix it now."

"Yes." Ryuuji said with a burning face. He knew this was his failure even if Deena had already insisted that it wasn't. But he was no stranger to failure, especially in a social setting. He wasn't shattered by it and he knew he had to shake off the feelings of embarrassment and despair – and quickly push on to a solution that everyone could live with… if not fully embrace. He looked around and, as expected, all eyes were on him. Both his little group of friends and the Australian's who had come in with Deena, were all waiting to see what his next move was. He thought about the schedule of events for the evening and what that would mean to their wardrobe. Finally, a solution came to him while he was looking at Nanako.

"Ryuuji?" Nanako asked. His face had lost it's blush of embarrassment and his eerie smile came out. If she hadn't known him as long as she had, the sinister look on his face would have scared her to bits. As it was, several of the Australians were backing toward the door – getting ready to flee.

"Deena-chan, stand up. I need you to translate for me." Ryuuji said to the tall blond who was still bowing to them. They both knew that his English was good enough to talk to them without the use of a translator, but he wanted to do this quickly… and he wanted her to feel useful.

"Yes!" Deena stood and waited to do as he had bid her.

"Ask the designers if they are aware that Ami, Hisako, and Suzume will be performing with Aiko-chan shortly after their arrival. Specifically, I want to know if they believe their designs are flexible enough to be worn in a performance." Ryuuji said.

"You're not suggesting that we actually wear those things?" Hisako challenged Ryuuji while Deena turned to her fellow Aussies.

"I am, but I think we are going to need Nanako for this to work." Ryuuji said.

"Nanako?" Hisako was ready to start arguing with Ryuuji until he suddenly involved her girlfriend. Now she really wanted to know what he had in mind.

"Nanako-chan, I'm betting their clothes won't work well with the performance movements. With what you have here, do you think you could modify their designs for flexibility, without changing the look too much?" Ryuuji asked the girl who had designed and made all their previous performance costumes. She traveled with her costume making supplies and even a small portable sewing machine, so Ryuuji thought it possible. But he would let her make that decision.

"Why don't we just have them change after the red carpet walk and before the stage performance?" Nanako asked since that was the original plan.

"We can still do that, but I want to see if these designers would be willing to work with you if they got a chance to showcase their fashions on the stage for the live performance." Ryuuji explained.

"Bait?" Nanako asked with raised eyebrows.

"Well… reward." Ryuuji thought the idea of calling it 'bait' made him seem a little shady, and he didn't care for that.

"I… I'll have to see how they fit. And have them move around a bit… to be sure. But, I think I can do it." Nanako said with an eager smile. She didn't know if Ryuuji was calculating enough to use her as a way of pacifying Hisako, but she would play along. In fact, she looked forward to getting her hands on some fresh new style prototypes from professional designers.

"Ryuuji-sama," Deena looked embarrassed yet again, "They didn't know about the immediate performance because I didn't tell them. Again, I…" Deena started to bow again, but Yasuko caught her by the arm and stopped her.

"I don't think we need to hear any more apologizing. None of us are mad at you, Deena-chan! You just need to do your best now with Ryuuji and everything will be just peachy!" Yasuko bubbled to the taller blond but then pulled her in close and softly told her, "You don't want to make Aiko-chan cry right before a performance, do you?"

"Ah!" Deena looked around in a panic and saw the concern already etched into the face of her young friend. Trying to sound as positive as she could, Deena told the little girl, "I will do just as Onee-chan says! Ryuuji and I will work together to make everything right!"

"All right then, introduce the designers to Nanako. Let them know that she is our official performance costumer. I want them to work together to make their clothes work for the performance as well as the red carpet walk. If they don't like it, then their design will not be worn on stage." Then he turned to Hisako. "I know you don't like last minute changes…"

Ryuuji was interrupted by angry shouting coming from one of the designers that Deena was talking to. He hadn't been paying attention so he wasn't certain what the woman found so objectionable, but he had an idea.

"Ryuuji-sama…" Deena looked embarrassed to have to tell him this, but it was part of her job to be the liaison between these representatives of the Australian fashion industry and her Japanese friends. "I'm sorry, but one of the designers refuses to allow any changes to any of her designs."

"The promise of additional exposure on the performance stage didn't sway her?" Ryuuji asked.

"She insists that her designs get the same exposure that the others get, but she will not consent to any alterations. I'm sorry, but she is adamant about that." Deena apologized.

"Hey, I… I want you to translate everything I say again. Okay?" Ryuuji gave his Australian friend a little smile and waited until she nodded and gave him a weak smile back. Then he took Nanako by the hand before walking over to the irate woman.

Even before he got in front of her, she started shouting again. She didn't know that Ryuuji and several of the others were actually quite proficient in English and let loose with a few derogatory comments. Ryuuji had heard enough and gave up on trying to placate or mediate with this woman. No, for her – it was time to play hard ball. He waited until they were face to face and then he… took off his glasses.

"I am Takasu Ryuuji, the manager for these performers, and this is Kashii Nanako. You may not have heard of her, but she is the official costumer for all of our performances. We do not go onstage without the performance attire getting her approval. One of the performers is my wife and two others are minors, so let me make this perfectly clear: THERE WILL BE NO WARDROBE MALFUNCTIONS." Ryuuji let the full effect of his sanpaku eyes bore into the woman's psyche. He kept glaring at her until Deena finished the translation.

#I… I didn't realize there were minors. Of course, you should be concerned about such a thing… and, that changes everything.# The designer wanted to avert her eyes from this incredibly scary man, but her inner fight-or-flight response was telling her that he would attack the moment she looked away. So, she was trapped – having to look back into those frightening eyes.

Ryuuji understood that she was backing down from her adamant position, but he waited until Deena had finished the translation before he put his mirror-shades back on and smiled. But, after seeing those eyes, his smile was terrifying too. "Well then, if we're done… I'll leave you to work things out with Kashii-san."

After Deena translated Ryuuji's words, the designer seemed quite eager to work with Nanako. Ryuuji stepped back and let Nanako do her thing. He wished everyone's ruffled feathers could be smoothed now, but he knew he had one more bird to appease. After a sigh, he moved back to continue the conversation that had been interrupted.

"Hisako, after this is over, you can slap me all you want. But…" Ryuuji didn't get to finish his apology once again. But this time it was Hisako herself that stopped him.

"No." Hisako was impressed with the way Ryuuji had stood up for Nanako, but more importantly, she saw the absolute glee on Nanako's face at being able to work directly with the designers in the room. For Hisako, one of the greatest things in life was to see Nanako happy. And Nanako was _very_ happy right now. The thought crossed her mind that Ryuuji had used Nanako as a tool to placate her, but one glance at Ryuuji's confusion told her that it was unplanned. That made her feel better about her friendship, but she worried that Ryuuji might not be picking up on the skills to _use_ people. And, if he was going to be a professional manager in the entertainment industry, he would need those skills. She put a hand on his shoulder and told him, "I'm not upset any more. How could I be, since you twisted all of this to make Nanako so happy. But that was your plan, wasn't it? You knew that if she was happy then there would be no fight from me. Well played, Ryuuji-sama."

"What? But I…" he wanted to explain that it had never been his intention to do something so devious. But a hand closed over his wrist even as Hisako withdrew to stand near her Nanako.

"Don't take the time to explain. You don't have the luxury." Ami still looked a little cross with him. But her fingers moved down from his wrist to hold his hand while she continued, "Don't stop thinking about what needs to be done next. You're not out of the woods yet. In fact, you should keep thinking that everything will fall apart, until the evening is done. Plans, contingencies, think, think, think! There will be no rest for you until it's all over and we're safely back in this room."

"Yes, Ami." Ryuuji saw the hardened performer, but he also saw the softer edge that others didn't see. He watched her walk toward the waiting designers and started thinking of the many angles. All three of the models were now amidst the Australian designers with Nanako and Deena now. He looked over the rest of the room and saw everyone else watching their friends being smothered with lively attention. Out of the crowd surrounding the three models, one of the Australian's was approaching Aiko-chan.

#Ms. Walker, could you ask them if this is the young girl that will be the lead singer this evening?# the woman called out to Deena. But Ryuuji intercepted the query and left Deena to deal with the group around the models.

#Yes, her name is Aiko-chan. Have you heard of her?# Ryuuji asked in English and saw that the Aussie woman was a bit surprised.

#Honestly, no. But I did read the bio for the people we would be meeting and there were a few pictures that had this young lady in it.# the woman noticed Aiko-chan's complete confusion at their conversation and asked, #I take it she doesn't speak any English?#

#Not yet, but she is still in grade school, so that is not so unusual.# Ryuuji explained.

Aiko-chan watched the lady speaking with Ryuuji-sama in English and had the distinct feeling they were talking about her. She started to feel nervous about that, but Onee-chan's arms wrapped around her from behind and pulled her back into the warmth of the older woman's body. It wasn't so surprising for Aiko-chan since her Onee-chan would often pull her in for a hug or down into her lap. Some times they played a game on Onee-chan's big bed where Aiko-chan called Yasuko _the octopus_. Onee-chan would lie in the middle of the bed and use her arms and legs to pull Aiko-chan in for a hug. Aiko-chan would struggle and try to get away, but Onee-chan would always seem to bring her back with a hand or her feet. Aiko-chan wasn't squirming to get away now. With all these strangers around, being in Onee-chan's embrace made her feel safe.

"You're not worried are you?" Onee-chan whispered into the young girl's ear.

"A… a little. Do you know what they're saying?" Aiko-chan held onto Onee-chan's arms for comfort.

"No, but I know everything is okay." Onee-chan said confidently.

"How do you know that?" Aiko-chan desperately wanted to know what made Onee-chan feel safe.

"Look at Ryu-chan. He's wearing his sunglasses again. If he takes them off, and there are still strangers here, that means that things aren't so good and he is getting mad." Yasuko explained.

"But… he takes them off when he is around me?" Aiko-chan felt a shiver run through her at the thought of making Ryuuji mad at her.

"You're not a stranger!" Yasuko giggled while pulling on Aiko-chan's nose.

"Hey!" Aiko-chan covered her nose with her hands but laughed when Yasuko took that opportunity to go after the young girl's ribs. She struggled to get away from the assault of wriggling fingers for a minute before she heard Ryuuji calling her name.

"Aiko-chan, Yasuko." Ryuuji waited until they were both looking up at him before asking, "Do you want to wear some of the designer's clothes too?"

"Really? YES!" Yasuko's face displayed such excitement and happiness that the designer stopped talking into her cell phone for a moment just to gaze at the expression of unbridled rapture.

"I can really wear the same thing as my senpai's? Aiko-chan sounded almost as excited as Yasuko.

"Well… everyone will be wearing something different." Ryuuji explained, "Ami, Hisako, and Suzume won't even be wearing outfits from the same designers. But you would be wearing something new… something no-one else has ever seen before, just like them."

"Yes! I want to do that too!" Aiko-chan couldn't help but get caught up in Onee-chan's excitement.

"Yasuko, it looks like they want to dress everyone up. Will you look after Aiko-chan while I tell the others?" Ryuuji asked.

"Leave it to me!" Yasuko cheered.

Ryuuji waved Yuri and Umeki over into a less noisy part of the suite, but they noticed that one of the Australian attendants came over as well.

"What's going on, Ryuuji?" Yuri asked. She had heard Yasuko's shout of pure glee a few minutes ago and didn't suspect it was anything bad.

"The designers want to dress everyone up, not just the three models. As long as you're okay with it." Ryuuji told them.

"What! In designer dresses?" Yuri gasped. She had subscribed to fashion magazines since she was a teenager and the thought of wearing a fashion prototype was like achieving a dream to her.

"Is it really okay?" Umeki asked in astonishment.

"Yes. In fact, the lady here will be taking your measurements, so you'll need to do whatever she wants, okay." He told them as he quickly backed toward the suite's entrance. He felt the need to get out of this room again since the assistants were starting to disrobe everybody they could get their hands on. Before he made it to the door, it opened and more attendants with racks of clothing invaded the already crowded suite. Ryuuji took that opportunity to make his escape, but didn't get very far.

#Where do you think you're going, mate?# the Australian version of English sounded incongruous coming from the Asian man wearing a black leather suit, and standing next to yet another rack of clothes.

#Oh, I'm the manager. The models are inside.# Ryuuji replied in English.

#Nah mate, I don need the sheila's.# The man reached over and pulled the mirror-shades from Ryuuji's face and looked directly into his sanpaku eyes. Unlike so many others, a feral smile spread across the man's face as he got the full effect of Ryuuji's sinister visage. The man put a hand on Ryuuji's shoulder and said, #You're the one I need.#

Ryuuji swallowed hard and wished he had Ami with him now. This was something new and unexpected and he couldn't help but wonder what kind of trouble he had gotten himself into now.

.

 **Tuesday afternoon, March 8th – Shin-Osaka Station**

* * *

Takasu Ojiisan and Obāsan had their suitcases in tow and were making their way through the crowds of travelers to get from the JR Central platforms to the JR West platforms to get to their connecting train. It wasn't difficult for Obāsan to keep up with her husband though. His mood was sour and he was plodding through the terminal buildings with a scowl. This trip had been put upon him and agreed to by his wife without so much as a discussion before she promised that both she and her husband would participate.

 _And for what?_ The old man glowered, _We're going to meet people we don't know, and staying at a house we've never been to. And when we get there, we'll be watching a great-grand-baby while their parents and grandmother are out gallivanting around in another country! They could at least have had the courtesy to bring the kid to our house, instead of making us – instead of dragging us half way across the country…_

"Are you still grumpy?" his wife smirked as they lined up to get on their next train.

"I'm fine." he lied. He wanted to bluster to her about this ridiculous inconvenience that she had agreed to, but there was no point in having an argument with her in public… especially one that he probably wouldn't win.

"No, you're not fine." Obāsan said with a grin, "But I think you'll feel better once we get into our seats."

"Uh huh." Ojiisan grunted. He didn't think that sitting in another train would make him feel any better. He had been in the last bullet train for over two hours and would be in this one for one more hour. If anything, he could only imagine his mood deteriorating as this useless trip was drawn out. Everything about this trip was bothersome: It was too cold on the platform. The people ahead of him didn't board the train quickly enough. There wasn't enough room for all the luggage...

"I'll take the window seat this time." Obāsan said cheerily as she sat down.

Ojiisan stood for a moment in annoyance and disbelief. _She knows I like the window seat! She also knows how much I don't like to sit next to strangers!_ As annoyed as he was, he held his tongue and grumpily sat down in the middle seat. Folding his arms, he thought about closing his eyes, but with the trip only an hour long, he would be waking up just when he got to some good sleep. Feeling someone sitting down in the seat next to him, he decided to shut his eyes anyway, so he could at least shut them out.

"Ah, Takasu-san! It's so good to see you again." a dream-like voice said from the next seat.

Ojiisan's eyes popped open and he turned to stare at the famous woman smiling back at him. Stunned, he was barely able to stammer out, "Ka Ka Kawashima A A Anna?"

"Oh! It's so nice to see that you remembered me." Anna said with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.

"Of of of course I remember you!" Ojiisan said in awe of his favorite star. The blush spread across his cheeks as he remembered how many times he had seen her on the big screen, in magazines, and… in his dreams.

"It looks like you still have him as one of your truest fans." Obāsan said to the blue haired celebrity and the mother of her daughter-in-law.

"That's good to hear." Anna took Ojiisan's arm and leaned into him as she replied to the man's wife, "As a female entertainer, I constantly worry that all my fans will leave me, now that I'm not so young any more."

"Never!" Ojiisan squeaked defiantly.

"This one will always be your fan, I assure you." Obāsan said as she took her husband's other arm and leaned into him from the other side. Then, talking to the star from across Ojiisan's chest, she asked, "How long will you be able to stay?"

"I'd like to stay until the kids return from Australia, but I don't want to wear out my welcome with the Hisamitsu family." Anna replied.

"Stay?" Ojiisan blurted out his confusion.

"I'm going to be visiting my grandson. You're welcome to join me, if you like." Anna purred to the spellbound old man.

"Yes… that sounds wonderful." he sounded like his mind was almost completely switched off as his imagination pictured himself running through a field of flowers, hand-in-hand with his personal idol, Kawashima Anna.

"You old fool." His wife laughed at his starstruck antics, "Are you forgetting that her grandson and our great-grandson are the same child?"

"Huh?" he made the questioning sound, but it was obvious from the blissful yet vacant expression on his face that he hadn't understood a word of what she had said.

"We'll play it by ear too." Obāsan said to Anna, "The Major is looking after little Tatsuya now. We first met him at the wedding in Tokyo."

"That was the first time I saw him too." Anna smiled at the memory. She had cringed when she saw her daughter pass out at the beginning of the ceremony. But it was what happened next that had confirmed her daughter's selection of the man she wanted to marry, and in her choice of friends. Ryuuji had caught her when she fell, and quickly moved to protect her. Her friends did what they could to help. Hisako and the tall red haired Suzume joined little Aiko-chan to sing a love song so beautifully, Anna had wondered if the girls had rehearsed for just such a possibility. And it was The Major who had taken the stage and called upon everyone present to remain calm and to give Ami their support. Sure, he was a foreigner and he wasn't blood related family, but he had proven himself as far as Anna was concerned. And if he was the person her daughter had chosen to look after her son while she was away for work, that was okay as well.

.

 **Tuesday evening, March 8th – Melbourne Australia**

* * *

Finally the makeup artists were done and the models were dressed. But it was more than just the models this time. To Deena's horror, even she was not to be excluded from the circus that this event had become for her. It was true that the clothes that the Australian designers provided were not to everyone's liking but, as Hisako pointed out, "It is not our job to like or dislike the clothes we are given to perform in. It is our responsibility to make the clothes look good, to the best of our ability." After her speech to everyone in the room, there was no more resistance.

All of the friends but Aiko-chan were old enough to remember the difficult times Hisako had gone through and wondered how many times she had to take jobs that she really didn't like, just to get by. They were all feeling regret at their behavior and there were many guilty glances between themselves and at Hisako. Remembering the difficult times when Hisako had to beg for work… any work, made them reflect on their own pride and attitudes. Their apologies had been given to the designers, but they also felt like they owed Hisako an apology somehow.

Ami could see the mood in the room had changed to something more somber now. That was good for getting things done, but part of modeling was _the look_ that was created by the model's appearance – and a somber mood wasn't a good catalyst for getting _the look_ right. She knew that Hisako, Suzume and herself could do it, but the others simply did not have the modeling experience to pull off _the look_ when they were feeling differently inside. She looked around hopefully, but Ryuuji still wasn't in the room. She didn't blame him for leaving, since they were all undressing at the time. And, she knew that 'fixing a mood' was more than she should ask from him… but she wished he was around now anyway. It was time to leave now and she was sure he would be waiting in the hallway outside the suite, but she wondered what else was going on when she heard the gasps from those that left the room before her.

Ryuuji and the man that had given him a new look, were waiting in the elevator lobby for the others to emerge from their suite. Ryuuji felt extremely uncomfortable in the… things he was wearing. He was reluctant to even call them clothes. His shoulders and upper arms were covered in black fabric arches that were reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House. The arches stood out like reptilian scales when his arms were down but folded into themselves when he raised his arms. On his hands, he wore matching black fingerless gloves. The pants were made of a silky billowy fabric and held in place by a thick leather belt. His lower arms, lower back, and everything from his waist to his neck were uncovered and he felt extremely… exposed. And to complete the look, the designer forbid him to wear his mirror-shades.

"Ryu-chan! You look sooooo cool!" Yasuko cheered.

"Is that really you?" Suzume asked.

"That… that's Hellivin!" Nanako shrieked. She didn't often get this worked up so all eyes were on the excited purple haired teen who looked like she was seeing her favorite idol.

"It's what?" Ryuuji asked.

"Hellivin! It's an avant-garde designer from Australia. I've always been a fan and I get a lot of ideas for costumes and stuff from their designs. They're awesome!" Nanako gushed.

"And Onee-chan is right… it looks good on you." Hisako said approvingly.

"What, no way!" Ryuuji was about to deny, but he saw everyone nodding in agreement with Hisako and his mother's opinion. Instead, he turned to look at his reflection in the window and asked aloud, "Really? I thought I looked…"

"Hey, we're all acting like models today. Right?" his mother pointed out.

"Yes." he agreed.

"So, it doesn't matter if you think it looks good on you. You just need to make it look good. Right?" Yasuko paraphrased what Hisako had said earlier.

"You're right. I'm going to do my best." Ryuuji turned back to the group and, with a fist pump that made the black scales along his arms and shoulders close and open, encouraged everyone," Let's all do our best, okay?"

"YES!" the shout filled the lobby with the noise of their positive energy.

.

 **Tuesday evening, March 8th – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

"Welcome to our home." Noto greeted the guests while several maids scurried to retrieve the luggage. "Ordinarily, Obāsama would be with me and we would spend more time with greetings, but we are getting the live broadcast from Melbourne and Ami and her friends will be walking down the red carpet soon, so…"

"Say no more." Kawashima Anna took Ojiisan's hand and started up the steps with the elder Takasu's in tow. "Just lead the way and we'll move as quickly as we can."

They entered a room that had been set up to be a home theater. Comfortable seating faced a small stage where there was currently a projection screen lowered from the ceiling. Several of the seats were already occupied, but there were four seats together at the front where Noto led the small party, but he moved a row back and sat next to his wife. The broadcast appeared to be an Australian channel, so it was in a language that most of the audience barely understood. But they were really here to see their friends, more than anything else. Since The Major was there, he was acting as a translator for the group and summarizing the announcer's comments for them.

"This group is made up of several members of the cast of a popular Australian television program." The Major told the room. He could hear the announcers also talking about some of the interesting events of the show's previous season and commenting on the clothes they were wearing on the red carpet, but he left those comments aside and glanced at his cell phone instead. He had been getting several texts from both his wife and from Deena. The latest ones said that they had boarded the limousine and had left the hotel. He wondered about that, _They boarded? What… all of them? I would have thought that the support staff would have been take by another vehicle and dropped off at the backstage entrance._ Just as he was about to look up at the screen, another text came in.

 **Deena** : We have arrived at the venue, sir. There are a few cars ahead of us in line, sir. It may still be a few minutes, sir.

 **Yuri** : WE'RE HERE! OMG, I'M SO NERVOUS! I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO THIS.

Instead of responding to them immediately, he sent a text to Ryuuji, hoping that he was also carrying his phone.

 **MajorLocke** : Ryuuji, I am getting texts from Deena and Yuri. Deena seems to be retreating to her military training and Yuri is close to panic. I'm not sure why they are under stress, but could you look in on them if you have a chance?

A few moments later he let out a sigh of relief when he saw the young man's reply.

 **Ryuuji** : Yes. I'll think of something.

 _He'll think of something? Why are those two so nervous?_ The Major's mind was abuzz with questions. He didn't see why anybody but the models themselves should be nervous about the red carpet walk. Everyone else should be arriving backstage. At least, that was what he had heard from their previous performances. Whatever it was, he decided to send them his support as well.

 **MajorLocke** : Deena, try to relax. You are with your friends now. Where else would you rather be?

 **MajorLocke** : Yuri, I believe in my wife. You are one of the most dependable people I have ever known. Your devotion to your students and your friends is inspiring. Right now, you have school-age students you are responsible for. Now, feel that responsibility and use it to crush any nervousness or doubts. Can you do that?

 **Deena** : Yes sir.

 **Yuri** : I can do that. Thank you.

It was only text so he couldn't see their emotions, but he could imagine his wife blushing as she calmed down a little. Deena continued to responding in military fashion, so he was still a little concerned about her. _I hope Ryuuji is able to do something to calm those two down._ The major put his phone down and faced the people in the small theater with him, "I just got some interesting texts from my wife and from Corporal Walker… I mean, Deena. They say their car is at the venue and they are in line to hit the red carpet, but both of them are very nervous… for some reason."

"They're nervous?" Taiga asked, "Why should _they_ be nervous?"

"I'm not sure…" The phone in his hand buzzed with more message arrivals before he could finish his reply to Taiga's question.

 **Deena** : It is our turn now.

 **Yuri** : WE'RE HERE!

"It seems that they are at the red carpet now." The Major said and turned to watch the big screen. He could see Kawashima Anna lean forward in her seat with the anticipation of watching her daughter make her foreign red carpet debut.

The Limo was huge and it seemed like the driver was going to keep driving when it finally came to a stop so that the door in back could be opened. It didn't look like the typical stretched black sedan at all, either. This thing was a long white truck that spoke of power more than elegance.

"A Mercedes truck limo?" Takasu Ojiisan said aloud. Being a car enthusiast, he had recognized the G-Wagon's distinctive front when the big limo pulled up to the curb.

"I imagine most of the limousines will be Mercedes. They are one of the principle sponsors of the event." The Major replied. He wasn't actually an expert on fashion shows, but it had been one of the trivial things the announcers had mentioned earlier in the broadcast.

Minori was about to ask what a G-Wagon was, when the attendants opened the door and reached their hand in to offer assistance. "Oh, here they come!"

"Huh?" several voices gaped when it was Hisako that emerged from the vehicle first instead of Ami. Everyone knew that Hisako was an important member of the trio of models, but it was generally accepted that Ami was the leader and the one they expected to see first. However, no-one could deny that Hisako made an impressive entrance in the way she moved, her incomparable looks, and the stunning outfit she was wearing. Hisako's short dress was bold red and cut with aggressive angles. But she didn't immediately head down the carpet like the others before her. She turned and helped out… Nanako.

"What!" almost everyone was stunned to see this. Nanako was only there to support the models. Not… this! And the dress she was wearing; gauzy and brilliant yellow like the noon sun on a warm summer day. The two joined hands and created a dazzling spectacle of red and yellow, sharpness and fluffiness. Nanako's smile was warm and sweet and contrasted severely with the fierce look that Hisako wore right next to her. As they started their walk away from the limo, Nanako seemed so confident and calm that the Takasu grandparents thought she was one of the models in Ami's group.

"What… what is Nanako-chan doing out there?" Maya wanted to know.

"I… I don't know." The Major was quickly scrolling back through his text messages to see if he had missed something. It seemed the announcers didn't know what to make of this either. They had initially identified the two as Ami and Suzume, but those names disappeared from the screen and they were ad-libbing their announcements.

#Well mates, we're not sure what the Japanese group is doing. The tall one there is Hisako Kurosawa, but we're not sure about the little lady she's with. But, it looks like she's wearing…#

"Did Ryuuji-kun turn Nanako-chan into a model too?" Minori asked in surprise. But the surprises weren't over yet.

Suzume got out of the limo next and, like Hisako did, she turned to help out… Umeki. The shorter girl didn't look quite terrified, but she clung to Suzume's arm while her taller friend did most of the smiling and waving.

#Maybe it's bring your little sister to work day in Japan.# the Australian broadcaster joked, #Once again, the tall one is the model we know of. Suzume Minami and her little sister look like they're both wearing designs by…#

The Major got a sinking feeling all of the sudden. He had an idea now why his wife's text had seemed to terrified. _Oh no… what was the advice I gave her? Oh lord, I hope I didn't screw up!_

Next out of the limo was Deena-chan and Aiko-chan. For once, it was the shorter girl who seemed more comfortable with the attention. She blew kisses and waved with her free hand while smiling at the people lining the red carpet walk. All the while, her other hand was clutched fiercely by the tall blond Aussie wearing a smile that looked like it had been applied with plaster. The announcer had no idea what to make of this. There was no way the tall blond girl was Japanese and they had no ID card for the shorter girl that seemed to be the one that was comfortable in front of the large and noisy audience.

Yasuko got out next and, reaching back into the vehicle, pulled out a reluctant Yuri. Both of them looked radiantly beautiful in pareos. While Yasuko wore a pink and yellow pareo that covered her from the waist down with a flower patterned bikini top, Yuri wore another one in the style of a short dress but with a wide open back. Her cringing and blushing next to Yasuko's unabashed exuberance almost seemed like a comedy skit and had the audience and announcers laughing. At one point some photographers called out and Yasuko stopped to smile and wave at them. Almost immediately, Yuri hid behind Yasuko and seemed to be begging her to keep moving. The camera couldn't pick up what was being said, but Yasuko said something to Yuri – then spun around and had the embarrassed school teacher out in front.

"AH!" the microphones picked up her scream of panic, but Yasuko moved again to hang on to the terrified teacher and started walking down the carpet once more.

"Yeah… that's Yasuko all right." Taiga chimed in. She remembered how easily Ryuuji's mother could say or do just about anything, and get away with it with a giggle or a laugh. Taiga couldn't see the front row from where she was, but her comment had made Ryuuji's Obāsan smile, while making his Ojiisan frown in embarrassment.

"Major… I do hope our daughter hasn't traumatized your wife." Ojiisan said sincerely.

"Yeah, uh… thank you, Takasu-san." The Major replied. He didn't want to say it since the elder Takasu had already made the apology, but he was hoping the same thing.

Finally, Ami emerged from the vehicle in an emerald green evening dress that shimmered with every move she made. It clung to her body as if it had been painted on, and moved as if the surface were made of liquid. Unlike the others, she did not reach back inside to help out the next person, but stood patiently as a black gloved hand reached out of the vehicle and grabbed the top of the open door. Ryuuji lurched out of the vehicle and stood next to Ami. There was an audible hush for a moment when he stood next to Ami in his avant-garde outfit with his sinister face. His sanpaku eyes glared out at the audience for a moment, then his arm made a rough and quick motion like a martial arts move… but he was just putting his arm out for Ami to take. The microphone was close enough and the audience was quiet enough to hear the two words Ami said to Ryuuji as she took his arm.

"Smile, Ryuuji." Ami smiled too, but it was the enormous gulf of difference in their smiles that got every photographer there to take notice. While Ami was beaming with her sweet and warm smile, Ryuuji looked like a maniac that was about to kill everyone there.

The announcers joked that they would definitely get the 'Beauty and the Beast' award… if there was one. A moment later, the broadcast flashed up "Beauty and the Beast" on the screen where they would normally display the name of the celebrity and what designer they were wearing. The stunt had done it's job well, but there were repercussions.

"Oh Ryuuji." his grandmother said sadly, "You're actually such a good boy. But now…"

"Ryuuji will be fine." Anna said with complete confidence.

"But?" Obāsan just pointed at the extremely dangerous looking figure that looked like a character from a post-apocalypse movie. Next to Ami's smooth walk, he seemed to be skulking his way down the red carpet.

"He's doing fine." Anna assured Ryuuji's grandparents, "Anyone that knows the fashion world, knows that you want a model with a 'certain look' for that kind of style. Ryuuji is perfect for it. If anything, he might become a model himself after this."

In the next row back, Maya listened to the banter and watched the screen where her friends were all doing something exciting and rewarding. She knew she should be happy for them. And, she knew she should be happy for herself too. She was doing well in school. Hisako had become a good and trusted friend and she had been able to get even closer to Nanako over the last year. And Noto's first project seemed to be off to a promising start. But happiness somehow eluded her. Try as she might, over the last few days, she still could not form a connection with her infant daughters.

She didn't want to hate them or dislike them, and she didn't. But there was no love either. Despite wanting to - more than anything, there was just… nothing. Self-doubt led to a feeling of unworthiness. Unworthy as a mother. Unworthy as a wife. Unworthy as a woman. She started to dread each time she had to interact with them. To change their diapers. To bathe them. But the worst… was feeding them. The singular act that was supposed to be the most perfect bond between mother and child – an almost sacred time that would build the bridges of love that would last the rest of their lives… and there was nothing. Emptiness. A shell.

She didn't sob. She made no noise at all. And in the darkness of the theater room, no-one could see the rain of tears running down her cheeks. Nor could they see the tremble of her hand as she sat there in silent anguish. _Why? I want to love them so much. So very very much! Why? What is wrong with me?_

"Maya?" Shinako called her name.

"Huh?" Maya realized that she had not been paying attention to her guests… again.

"Didn't you think that Nanako's dress was lovely on her?" Shinako asked.

"Oh yes, it was exactly that. It was lovely." Maya said.

"And Ryuuji's mother. The blue dress looked amazing on her too, right?" Shinako said with a smile.

"Yes but she can look good in just about anything, can't she?" Maya released Noto's hand and stood, "If you'll excuse me, I need to go pick some flowers."

"Of course." Noto watched her go while Shinako and Obāsan kept their eyes on the screen. They waited until the door to the room had closed before they turned their attention on Noto, but it was Taiga that spoke first.

"What was that about? Yasuko wasn't wearing any blue!" Taiga huffed.

"Neither was it a dress." Noto remembered the pareo bottom and bikini top that Ryuuji's forever-young mother was wearing.

"I believe that there may be some postpartum depression issues still going on. " Noto said gravely.

"How has she been in bed?" the usually prudish matriarch asked.

"OBĀSAMA!" Noto shouted in shock at what he had just heard from his grandmother.

"HEY!" this shout came from the row in front of him and he soon saw Kawashima Anna stand and look at him accusingly. Then she told him, "It's a perfectly valid question if you're talking about PPD."

"Oh, well… it's…" _fine_. He was going to say it was fine, but it wasn't fine. It was nonexistent. And this wasn't the right time to lie. Not when Maya's health and happiness were on the line. So, he admitted to them, "Honestly, there hasn't been any."

"All right, so we need to establish a baseline. How old are your babies now?" Anna asked.

"About three months." Noto replied.

"How old is yours, Major?" Anna asked.

"About five months." The Major answered.

"So, how was your sex life two months ago… if you can remember it." Anna asked.

"Oh, I remember it well. It was the anniversary of our honeymoon in Hawaii. It was… good." The Major's smile got bigger and he got a faraway look as he finished talking.

"How, exactly, does this help?" Noto asked after he worked his way out of the cringe from thinking about his teacher having sex.

"Oh, I'm not sure that it does. But we just saw The Major's wife on the screen a few minutes ago. She may have been terrified and traumatized, but she did _not_ look depressed. Therefore, we can conclude that Maya is, in fact, depressed." Anna channeled one of the female detective characters she had played in a movie once.

"Kawashima-san, we already knew that Maya is depressed." Noto said with his face in his hands.

"I think I'm starting to understand Ami a little better." Taiga told Minori, who agreed with a vigorous nod.

"In any event, it appears that the Palm-Top-Tiger-of-Happiness gambit did not solve all of the problems." Obāsama said.

"The WHAT?" Taiga gaped as she leaped to her feet.

"Please do not be offended, Aisaka-san." Shinako told the shocked girl, "Before you came to this house, I listened to every story that Noto-sama had of you. They were all interesting and some were quite fascinating. I am not a superstitious person, but after seeing how well Maya-chan responded to you during the horseback riding, I did have some hope that there might be something to that story."

"I'll admit to being a little superstitious." Obāsama chuckled, "Given the difficulties I have in just keeping the Hisamitsu family businesses afloat, I have wondered if patting your head might help me out, if just a little. But, Maya's problems are real and I worry for her constantly. We need to do everything we can to help her, and it would be irresponsible and unfair of us to simply rely on you to be a good luck charm that saves us."

"Agreed, Obāsama." Shinako then stood and bowed to Taiga and said, "My apologies for counting on you without your permission."

"No… uh, it's okay." Taiga's ire was washed away by the sincerity of the apology. Now she was embarrassed that they had placed their hopes on her so much. "I don't know about being a good luck charm, but if there is anything that I can do to help, I'll try."

"You can count me in too!" Minori stood up next to Taiga and raised her fist into the air as if she were rallying a team to victory.

"Noto-kun, you have some very remarkable friends. I am feeling more hopeful already." Obāsama told her grandson.

"Thank you, Obāsama." Noto replied, but his heart was sinking. His tablet had pinged to make him aware of some important messages and he was looking at them now. The great plan that he had put together with The Major and presented to his grandmother… looked like it was in trouble. Poor weather in the Aomori area meant that the construction unit there would be delayed getting to the staging area at the Natori waterfront just south of Sendai. Also, the unit already in Sendai was still in the staging area. Mechanical problems with some of their large equipment movers meant that they had not yet left for Tokushima. The only good news was that the Osaka unit was making good time toward Sendai and should be arriving there late on the eleventh. He had really wanted to impress Yamada-san and his grandmother, but he also knew that dealing with unexpected events that could cause delays was also part of proving himself.

.

 **Tuesday evening, March 8th – Tokyo**

* * *

From the moment Minami Umeko had awoken early that same morning, her activities had been non-stop. She had only been a fair student back in school – since her focus had really been athletics, so she attacked the books that the Director had given her with her full energy. She had notebooks and made notes as if she were getting ready for an exam. In a way though, she was. The newest train go join the Shinkansen fleet would be making its maiden run the very next morning, and Umeko would be a crew-member in the most luxurious car on the train. Actually, the most luxurious car in the whole JR-East fleet of trains. From everything she had read in the manual that the Director had given her, the new Super-Green, or Gran Class car was every bit as wonderful as she had imagined.

And, she wouldn't be just any hostess on that run. She would be the leader, and she was determined to set a good example. Fortunately, her uniform fit her well. It had needed to be ironed, but at least it didn't need any alterations. So, she had been able to concentrate most of the day into her studying.

But that had ended an hour ago when the Melbourne Fashion Week's opening ceremony started. She had paid a little extra to her cable company and was picking up the Australian channel that was broadcasting the event live. That was when she suddenly felt very alone.

All the studying had kept her too busy to notice, but now that she was sitting in front of her television – she felt the loneliness creep in. For years, her little sister Suzume had lived with her. She had moved out to be closer to her school at the beginning of the year, but some new good friends were living with her now. She had met Kushieda Minori first… so long ago, it now seemed. The pink haired jock turned out to be a fellow athlete and shared her interests in baseball and softball. Then she had met Minori's best friend, Aisaka Taiga. She didn't share the enthusiasm with baseball, but she did turn out to be quite an athlete herself. Her recent Kendo match had gone well and the three of them had celebrated her victory together.

But Minori and Taiga weren't here now and there absence was felt. They were making use of their Spring Break by visiting friends in Tokushima now. From the pictures they had sent back, mostly of babies and of Taiga riding a horse, it looked like they were having a lot of fun. But Umeko had declined to join them since holiday periods were always times when the trains were packed. Besides, she really didn't know the people that had invited them all that well. So, the loneliness was her own making. But still, she had wished she could have at least one person here to cheer with her when her little sister performed.

However, she was too stunned to cheer during the red carpet walk. She wondered if Ryuuji had lost his mind and forgot that only three of them were supposed to be models. Sure, they all looked good in their designer apparel, but it was easy to see that not all of them were model material.

Nanako had handled it pretty well, but that purple haired girl struck Umeko as the kind of person that wouldn't flinch even if a dragon suddenly appeared in front of her. Poor little Umeki looked scared, Deena's face had frozen into such a painful looking smile that she wondered if the tall blond might need medical attention later. Yuri's near panic had been a show-stealer. If it wasn't for the fact that Umeko knew the excitable teacher, she might have thought that Yuri and Yasuko had been trying to perform a slapstick comedy routine.

And then… there was Ryuuji. Ye gods, what was that thing he was wearing? Did they even qualify as clothes? To the work-uniform wearing elite hostess that Umeko was, his ghastly appearance could only be more proof that he was loosing his mind.

"I told you. Didn't I tell you?" Umeko said to Ryuuji's image on the television as she sipped a glass of plum wine, "You should never have left Japan. Scary things happen when you go to foreign places. Look at you now… you've obviously lost your mind. See… you should have stayed here in Japan where it's safe."

.

 **Tuesday late evening, March 8th – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

In the bathroom that adjoined the bedroom she and Noto were using, Maya was standing in front of the mirror and looking at her swollen breasts. She held them with both hands and felt their weight. They were heavy with milk now and it would soon be time to feed her daughters again.

Time to look at them and feel nothing again.

Time to utterly fail as a mother… again.

She closed her eyes and hoped, yet again, that this time would be different. That this time, she would feel that magical connection and all would be right with the world. It was the same thing she had hoped every time. And she dreaded another failure… again. Each time, there was less hope and more dread. Even now, she wished she could just leave the feeding to someone else and just go back to sleep.

Sleep.

A brief escape from the ever-present dread.

Maya's hand moved on it's own to the medicine cabinet and retrieved the old bottle of sleeping pills she had found when they had put their things away in this guest room. Her eyes glanced at the prescription label. It had evidently been left behind by some visiting Hisamitsu family member – she didn't recognize the name on the label. It wasn't that long ago though; the label indicated that the pills had only recently hit their expiration date. It also carried a stern warning not to take more than one in a twenty-four hour period. It was a month supply and it looked like only a few of them had been taken, so the bottle was quite full. Because of her pregnancy, and now her breastfeeding, she couldn't be issued anything like that, but the promise of a nice long sleep was quite appealing. Although she had no experience with prescription sleep aids herself, an internet search told her that this brand seemed to work quite well. That too was appealing.

The previous night, she had wanted to take one with the calming tea Noto had made for her, but her responsible nature kicked in and she decided not to take anything that might make it into her breast milk and end up in the children. The tea had worked well though and she had slept peacefully for most of the night. It had been a good sleep without any nightmares or disquieting thoughts. The only problem had been waking up in the morning and feeling the heaviness in her breasts and knowing that she had to face another… failure.

 _If only I could just sleep, and not have to wake up._ Maya wistfully looked at the bottle of pills for another moment. She knew that the proper thing to do with expired medication was to dispose of it… but she just couldn't bring herself to do that. _They are only recently expired and they may come in handy. It seems a waste to just throw them away._ Her mind justified her action as her arm extended to put them back in the cabinet. Then she made a comforting promise to herself. _Tonight,_ _Noto will make me some of that tea_ _and_ _I will sleep well again. I just have to make it through this day, then I can forget about all my troubles and sleep again._

.

* * *

 **WSP Families**

 **Hisamitsu – Kihara**  
 **Obāsama** – the matriarch of the Hisamitsu family. She is the grandmother (Obāsama) of both Noto and Shinako. She is the great-grandmother of Noto and Maya's twin daughters (Ayame and Kiku).  
 **Shinako** – second cousin and older than Noto, she is past her college years and has been involved with running the family, as Obāsama's _problem solver_ , for many years. For this reason, she is disliked or even feared by many members of the Hisamitsu family.  
 **Noto** – his parents were killed in an accident when he was an infant and he was raised by relatives. He is the acknowledged heir-apparent to the Hisamitsu family.

 **Maya** **(Kihara)** – raised by her aunt (Obasan) who is referenced but has not made an appearance.

.

 **Takasu – Kawashima**  
 **Obāsan** – grandmother of Ryuuji, mother (Okāsan) of Yasuko, and great-grandmother of Ryuuji & Ami's son, Tatsuya. She is the more lenient and accepting of Yasuko's parents.  
 **Ojiisan** – grandfather of Ryuuji, father (Otōsan) of Yasuko, and great-grandfather of Ryuuji & Ami's son, Tatsuya. The more strict of Yasuko's parents, his great weakness is his fawning admiration of the star, Kawashima Anna, who he has had a crush on since he was a young man.  
 **Yasuko** – Also Known As: Onee-chan (by everyone but Ryuuji). Ryuuji's mother and grandmother of Tatsuya, although she is almost never referred to as Okāsan or Obāsan.  
 **Ryuuji** – Also Known As: Ryu-chan (by his mother). Father (Otōsan) of Tatsuya.

 **Kawashima Anna** – mother (Okāsan) of Ami and grandmother (Obāsan) of Takasu Tatsuya.  
 **Ami (Kawashima)** – mother (Okāsan) of Tatsuya.

.

 **Locke – Koigakubo**  
 **The Major** – Also Known As: Major Locke or Major Charming (by Hisako). Married to Yuri and the father (Otōsan) of their son, Ryan.  
 **Yuri (Koigakubo)** – Also Known As: sensei or Yuri-sensei (by current and former students), and Yuri-chan (by anyone who wasn't her student). Wife of The Major, mother (Okāsan) or their son, Ryan.

.

* * *

 **Glossary**

 **Aomori** – The northernmost city on the main island of Honshu where the bullet train stops, before it dives into the undersea tunnel to connect to the next island (Hokkaido).

 **Obāsama** \- "grandmother" said very respectfully. In the story, this title is specifically used for Hisamitsu Noto's grandmother.

 **Obasan** \- "aunt" but it can also be used to refer to an older woman.

 **Obāsan** \- "grandmother" said normally. In the story, this title is specifically used for Ryuuji's grandmother.

 **Ojiisan** \- "grandfather" said normally. In the story, this title is specifically used for Ryuuji's grandfather.

 **Osaka** – A city west of Tokyo on a bay that connects to the Pacific Ocean. It is also close to the smaller island of Shikoku, which is where the prefecture of Tokushima can be found.

 **Sendai** – A city north of Tokyo along the Pacific coast and about halfway to the northern tip of the main island of Hohshu.

 **Sheila** – Australian for 'girl'


	5. Chapter 5 - To Make a Big Splash

**Tuesday late evening, March 8th – Melbourne Australia**

* * *

"You know… we actually do have enough time to change into the performance costumes." Suzume commented. She was sitting in one of the backstage prep rooms with the others as they waited their turn to be called on stage. In the original schedule, they would have had very little time between the red carpet walk and their stage performance with Aiko-chan. And, even though their red carpet walk had taken longer than expected, delays in the performance schedule had moved them back more than an hour from their original slot.

"No no… this is what Ryuuji-sama agreed to, so it's fine." Hisako was being much more supportive of Ryuuji than she normally was. But, there was an obvious reason for that. She was seated while Nanako and one of the designers reworked the elements of her dress that went around her shoulders. They discovered that, if she raised her arms above her head, many of the angular elements of the dress didn't fall back into place and the problem was the dresses weight distribution over the shoulders. To fix this, Nanako was standing in front of Hisako and bent over so that she could work closely on the shoulder piece. The designer was behind Hisako, and Deena was nearby to translate everything between Nanako and the Australian designer.

But the part of all this that was important to Hisako was that she was so wonderfully close to Nanako now. Nanako's face was just centimeters away and Hisako could see such lovely expressions of concentration with elements of excitement, fun, and determination. To Hisako, pictures of Nanako were never enough because her girlfriend's face was so expressive that a mere picture could capture only a single facet of her thousands of beautiful looks. Some of those looks, she got to see a lot of, but others… they were gems to behold. And _now_ , was one of those times. Of course, there was more that interested Hisako as well. The gauzy yellow dress that Nanako was wearing was incredible on her and, because of the way she was bent over, Hisako could see down the front of the dress to Nanako's beautiful soft breasts that swayed freely inside that gauzy dress.

 _Swayed freely?_

"Um… Nanako-chan. Um… you're not wearing a bra?" Hisako asked quietly. She knew the Australian designer wouldn't understand what she said, but she did hear an embarrassed gasp from Deena-chan.

"No. I didn't like the way I could see the lines of my bra or panties in this nice dress, so I took them off." Nanako replied without pausing her work on the shoulder piece.

"But but but… that means… you're not wearing panties either?" Hisako could feel her own excitement rising, even if Nanako could talk about this calmly.

"Nope. Just like a Yukata." Nanako said.

"Huh? Nanako-chan… you know that's just a joke, right? That girls don't wear any underwear under a Yukata. That's only a joke." Hisako sounded as if she were explaining something to a child or an incredibly naive person.

"I don't. And, even if other people do, I won't. I like it that way. Why?" Nanako now paused and turned to look into Hisako's dark purple eyes, "Does that bother you? Does it make you not like me as much – knowing that about me?"

"No I…" Hisako felt herself blush hard, now that Nanako's attention was focused on her. She could feel her heart beating hard in her chest and her hands twitched with the desire to reach out and pull the short purple haired girl down into her lap and kiss her long and hard. Finally breaking the eye contact, Hisako looked down at her trembling hands and pouted, "Nanako-chan, you shouldn't tease me so much."

"I'm not teasing you." Nanako said as she lifted Hisako's chin until they were looking into each other's eyes again. Then she told her tall girlfriend, "After the performance is over, I'll be counting on you to help me get out of this dress."

"Yes!" Hisako's voice sounded an octave higher than it usually did. The promise of revealing Nanako's beautiful nude form and perhaps… holding her in her arms – was too much for Hisako. Her knees felt weak and she was suddenly grateful that she was already sitting down.

 _Wow, I never would have imagined that it would be quiet little Nanako that would be the one to tame the wild Hisako._ Ryuuji thought to himself. His mind conjured an image of Nanako in a circus animal trainer outfit, with a leash in her hand. At the other end of that leash was the tall Hisako in a leopard print body stocking. He vigorously shook his head as if trying to clear away an unnecessary thought bubble that was hovering around his head. When he looked up, he could see Ami regarding him with an amused expression.

"You were just visualizing something naughty involving a leash, weren't you?" Ami asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Ryuuji's jaw dropped and he worried if Ami had developed the ability to read his thoughts. _That could be very, very dangerous!_

"Oh my! I've known you this long and I never imagined you were _that_ lewd." Ami's words might make you think she was disgusted, but her tone and her smirk screamed playfulness.

"I'm not _that_ lewd!" Ryuuji was finally able to retort.

"Hmmm? But how lewd is _that_ lewd?" Ami teased her husband.

"Huh, what do you mean?" Ryuuji was beginning to feel lost in this conversation.

"How do we know if my idea of _that_ lewd is more lewd or less lewd than your idea of _that_ lewd?" Ami knew that her response didn't really clear anything up.

"What? That doesn't even make any sense. Lewd is just lewd, isn't it?" Ryuuji asked.

"No. To some people, holding hands in public is lewd. But to other people, being tied up and whipped is just another form of love – and not lewd at all." Ami said. She had intended to get a strong blush out of Ryuuji, which she did, but an audible gasp revealed that Yuri-sensei had also heard her.

"Erk!" Yuri yelped as she felt a hand on her shoulder from behind her. She knew Ami and Ryuuji were behind her from the frighteningly embarrassing conversation she had just overheard. She hoped it was one of them since she knew that they were both too nice to try and tease her about something like this.

"Yuri-chan…" Yasuko's sing-song voice called out as the hands wrapped around Yuri and turned her so that they were both facing Ami and Ryuuji with Yasuko hugging the blushing teacher from behind.

"Ulp… Onee-chan?" Yuri responded nervously. Unlike Yasuko's son or daughter-in-law, the bold blond loved to tease Yuri. Sometimes, mercilessly.

"You had to take a bunch of those classes about understanding people when you were in college, right? I mean, you have to take those classes to be a good teacher, don't you?" Yasuko asked her son's former high school teacher.

"Uh, yes." she happily admitted. But her happiness was mostly from the relief that she wasn't being dragged into the previous conversation Ami had been having with Ryuuji.

"Good. Because… you see, I think Ryu-chan and Ami-chan need the help of a sensei to work something out." Yasuko said.

"Oh really? You know I'm always willing to help my students." Yuri was always glad to assist someone who desired knowledge, regardless of whether they were current or former students. And, she also liked to be counted on as a reliable sensei too.

"The question is: how _do_ we know if Ami-chan's idea of _that_ lewd is more lewd or less lewd than Ryu-chan's idea of _that_ lewd? Can you think of any way we can find an answer to that question?" Yasuko asked with a broadening smile.

"Ack!" Yuri was trapped and she knew it. The subject itself sent her face into a full blush, but if Ami and Ryuuji were serious about finding an answer to this riddle, she had already said she would help. She tried to rationalize her way out of this embarrassing situation, "Um… I don't think I know enough about… lewd stuff, to be a good judge of what is or isn't lewd."

"But Yuri-chan, I asked you because you are a _very_ lewd person!" Yasuko said innocently.

"Huh? What makes you think that I am so lewd?" Yuri demanded.

"Don't they say that very lewd people are always the most ticklish?" Yasuko asked as if trying to remember an old saying.

"No, I don't think that's how that old saying go… AAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Yuri's rebuttal turned into a shriek of surprised laughter as Yasuko's fingers found the most sensitive nerves along her ribs. Yuri tried to struggle away from the tickling onslaught, but there was no escaping Onee-chan's tickle attack.

#Five minutes!# someone shouted to everyone in the room from the doorway.

"Five minutes!" Deena instantly repeated in Japanese. Then to Nanako, she asked, "Will Hisako-chan's dress be ready in time?"

"Tell the designer that this looks good to me and I think we should be done in a minute." Nanako replied.

Hisako heard Deena translating Nanako's comment into English and wasn't expecting her girlfriend to suddenly lean in and give her a kiss. She was ready to share a long and passionate kiss with her lover, but it was only a brief one. And it left her hungry for more.

"I'll be watching from the side, you know." Nanako reminded Hisako.

"Yes." the tall model replied.

"You're going to be good and do your best for me, aren't you?" Nanako asked.

"Yes!" Hisako promised.

"All right then. Go out there and make a million new fans. Make me proud of you all over again." Nanako encouraged her girlfriend.

"I will!" Hisako promised. Then, all too quickly, she was at the side of the stage with Ami, Suzume, and Aiko-chan – and it was time to go on. For a moment her mind wondered at how this smaller, younger, and weaker girl had become like a senpai to her. But she didn't have long to muse about it. Their names were called and it was time to leave the shadow of the heavy curtains and dance out into the bright lights.

.

Sometimes, the older girls would come out first and then Aiko-chan would run out onto the stage. Other times, she would be the first one on stage and they would come to join her. But this time, they all went out together. There had been a few comments that their group looked like a little sister performing with her three older sisters. But the three models were so famous in Japan, that it was just a joke there. However, Australia was a new audience for them. Except for the few Aussies like Deena-chan, who were fans of Japanese culture, not many people in this country had ever heard of the Japanese singing stars. But, this was the big chance to change that. Deena had worked with Ryuuji to change a few of their more popular songs into English, but they had another trick to play too.

With the help of Ami's uncle at the talent management company, they had done a bit of research on the largest part of the audience of the big fashion show in Melbourne. For them, Deena and Ryuuji had translated into Japanese, a few songs that had been popular in Australia when that audience was a little younger. Their hope was that these were the kind of songs that most Australians would know by heart, and it would interest them to hear their songs in another language.

A few of the words didn't translate, which prompted Aiko-chan or Hisako to ask questions about the unfamiliar words. Ryuuji still remembered having to try and find the answers to such questions as, "What is a vegemite sandwich?" But, what bothered Ryuuji now was something that Yuri had just brought up. Both he and Deena thought it was a fun sounding song with lots of Australia references. They had never thought to research the lyrics to see if there were any deeper meaning to them.

"Ryuuji… that is a song about doing drugs while traveling across Europe and into India." Yuri told him as gently as she could, but it was too late to stop the performance. Yuri had never heard them practicing this song, so she didn't know Ryuuji was planning to use anything like this. "I'm sorry, Ryuuji. If I had known…"

"I'm sorry too." Deena was crestfallen, "I'm Australian… I've heard that song all my life, and I never knew that was what it was about."

"No… neither of you are to blame. I… I am the manager and I should have done the research." From the side stage, he looked out at the four girls happily singing the Japanese version of the song and letting the audience sing the chorus. They were having a really good time – both the girls and the audience. But it would be _after_ the performance when the bad news would come. Maybe not the next day, or even a week. But eventually there would be questions about a pre-teen and a high school girl singing a 'drug song' or about the manager of those girls, and if he was fit for the job. Seeing the joy that Aiko-chan expressed as she bounced around the stage, he worried that this could all turn to tears so easily. Not for the first time, he worried - _Maybe I'm not cut out for this after all._

"Ryu-chan…" Yasuko was the only one to ever call him that, but he also knew it was her from the warm hug she gave him from behind.

The others called it the Onee-chan hug, but he had grown up with that trouble-absolving embrace all his life and even now – he could feel the stress of the moment fading. Two years ago he would have struggled out of one of her hugs if she had given it to him in front of other people like this. But a lot had happened in two years and he had learned a lot about his mother's strength… and her love for her only son. He said nothing, but he put a hand over hers where it held him around the chest.

"Ryu-chan, tell me… how will you do it differently? You know, next time. So this doesn't happen again." Yasuko prompted him.

"I… I'll research every song before it gets added to the repertoire." Ryuuji said the responsible thing that came to his mind. It didn't bother him that it would be a lot of work, but he was still thinking of calling Ami's uncle and bowing out of this arrangement as a solution too.

"Oh? Isn't there someone that you know that already knows a lot about English language songs that could do that for you?" Yasuko suggested.

"Eh?" Ryuuji looked up and saw Yuri who also suddenly realized that Yasuko was talking about her. "Sensei… I don't want to trouble you with…"

"No! I mean, yes! It's okay, I'd love to do that." Back in college, Yuri had used popular English music as a way to better understand the language and the culture that she was studying. So, even if she didn't know the meaning of a particular song, she still had a head start on finding it. And, she had long ago discovered how much she enjoyed her association with this interesting group of friends. In her opinion, anything she could do to deepen those bonds would be a good thing. However, as much as she wanted to leave the conversation in a positive light, she had to ask him, "But more importantly, how are you going to fix this though?"

Ryuuji could see the regret in his former teacher's eyes. Regret that she had to do the responsible thing, and bring him down at such a cheerful moment. But it was also a clarion call for him to pull himself together and face his own responsibilities. His mind raced for an answer to his sensei's question. _How can I fix this? Wait, I'm not thinking about this right. Yasuko and Yuri-sensei just showed me that I don't have to rely only on myself. I can rely on others that are able to help. But, who do I know that might have that kind of experience?_ Suddenly it hit him.

"Yes!" Ryuuji cried out and took a few steps away from the noise of the stage so he could make a call.

"He did it, he figured it out!" Yasuko was bouncing up and down with pride in her son.

"What? What did he figure out? Who is he calling?" Yuri was confused.

"I don't know, but just look at him!" Yasuko directed Yuri's attention at his broad back as he continued walking away from the stage and talking to someone. "He looks so confident and grown up when he does that! I just know he'll get it all worked out now."

"I hope you're right." Yuri was about to comment on how difficult it was to fix a public blunder when she paused in stunned disbelief at hearing her own name being called out… from the stage.

"YU-RI-SEN-SEI!" the call came from the big arena as all four girls called out to her from under the spotlights. To her horror, she saw Hisako wave to the audience and now her name was being called with the added boom of the audience as well.

.

 **Tuesday late evening, March 8th – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

"Oh no." Taiga and Minori were able to get only those words out as they all sat stunned in their theater seats and watched the four girls get the crowd to yell along with them.

"YU-RI-SEN-SEI!"

"They can't… they can't be serious." The Major gasped as he worried for the sanity of his wife, if she were being subject to this much excitement. He knew she liked to be with them and was even able to handle the small amount of publicity that she had earned from her appearance in the magazine with Ami. But to be called out onto a stage in front of thousands… and before a televised audience that spanned the globe. He didn't think his wife could do it. However, his jaw dropped when he saw the side curtain flutter with movement.

Yasuko was pulling Yuri out onto the stage, much the same way that she had pulled her out of the limo back at the red carpet walk. As soon as they were visible, the television announcers made the connection and started laughing at the pair's antics. A moment later, the footage of their red carpet debut was replayed in a quarter of the screen as an explanation to the current audience. The Australian announcers were convinced that this was an act now. The fact that Yuri grasped for the stage curtain like a drowning person panicking for a rope, only added to the humor of their little show. The live audience seemed to love their impromptu performance too.

"Is… is sensei going to be okay?" Minori asked.

"I don't know." The Major answered honestly, his attention glued to the fiasco playing out on the big screen in front of him.

When she was finally out in the middle of the stage with the girls, there was a quick conversation between Aiko-chan and Yuri. Then Yuri turned and addressed the live band that was playing the instruments for their performance. They were set up in the back of the stage while the girls were performing in the front. The band played the intro to one of the girl's own songs, but they were playing it a lot slower than the way it was usually performed. They stopped and Yuri spoke with the girls and with the band once more. Now the band was playing it even more slowly and Aiko-chan gave a cheer to let them know that was what she wanted. As soon as that seemed to be resolved, Yuri tried to make a break for the curtains, but Yasuko caught her. The people running the lights must have decided that they were part of the act too – a pair of stage lights were now lighting up the pair. The crowd at the venue watched, the friends in the theater room at the Hisamitsu estate watched. Everyone held their breath as Yasuko started slow dancing with Yuri, to the song that was being performed.

Taiga recognized the lyrics almost instantly. She had read them before… a long time ago. In a notebook, in a box, in a closet, at the little house where Ryuuji and his mother used to live. They were words that had been written by a love smitten teenage boy for the girl that he would never have the courage to confess his love to. It wasn't a sad song though – at least, not the way it was usually performed. It was a light and bouncy song about how happy he would be… when they could someday be together. But, sung slowly like this, it became more of a ballad. Taiga bit her lip and looked sidelong over at Minori.

"This is one of Ryuuji's songs, isn't it?" Minori asked. Her usual smile was on her lips, but her eyes seemed to glisten a little more than usual.

"Yeah," Taiga thought of lying about it, but there was no point. None of them tried to hide where the songs came from and their origin. Minori would find out the truth sooner of later anyway.

"It's a nice song." Minori kept up her smile even when a tear slid down her cheek.

"Wow, I had no idea sensei could dance." Taiga said in an attempt to change the mood.

"Or Yasuko-san." Noto added.

"Oh, I always knew Ya-chan could dance." Taiga stopped short of mentioning the kind of dancing she knew that Yasuko could do… since Noto's grandmother and, more importantly, Yasuko's parents were also in the room.

The song came to an end and Yuri was, once again, going to try and make a dash to get off stage. But this time it would be Ami that would stop her.

#Thank you Australia!# the blue haired singer shouted into the microphone and got a huge return cheer.

"Your daughter certainly knows how to play the audience." Ryuuji's grandmother said to Anna.

"She didn't used to have that kind of courage. I think that your grandson had a hand in that." Anna returned the complement.

#Before they get off stage, I would like to introduce our two dancers.# Ami continued and everyone could see Yuri suddenly freeze as if someone had hit her 'pause' button. Ami walked over to them and stood between them. Linking her arms with both of them, she gave Yuri a firm tug to let her know she wasn't easily letting go.

"Ami… what are you doing?" Yuri asked in a trembling voice.

#In English, sensei.# Ami said with a smile. She knew that their conversation was being picked up by her microphone.

#Ami, what are you doing?# Yuri was so frightened that she didn't even question Ami's directive to converse in English.

#I'm introducing you.# Ami replied simply. Then she smiled when the audience laughed.

#Why are you introducing me?# Yuri squeaked.

#Sensei, you are on stage now. You can't leave the stage until after you have been properly introduced, right?# Ami made it sound like common knowledge.

#Oh… yes, of course.# Yuri's mind was in such a state of panic she probably would have agreed with anything Ami told her.

#As many of you know, sensei means 'teacher' and this lady was my teacher for my last two years in High School. She is Suzume's teacher now, and she is the tutor for all of us when we are away from our schools like we are now. Can I have a big round of applause for Yuri-sensei and for teachers everywhere!# Ami called out to the audience.

The audience responded with hearty enthusiasm and it took a few seconds before Ami could continue.

"Some of you out there may have a big sister. They come in all kinds but the one that everyone wishes they had is the one that is always there for you, always willing to listen to your troubles, always cheerful, and always ready to help. Her name is Yasuko, but we all call her Onee-chan, because she is the perfect big sister to all of us!" Ami then walked back to Aiko-chan and the others and introduced them to the audience.

The Major already had his phone in his hand before Yuri and Yasuko had made it off the stage.

"I hope she's okay." Minori said.

"What are you going to tell her?" Taiga asked.

"I… I don't know. I guess I'll ask her if she's okay." The Major was at a loss for what to say, but he knew he needed to call her.

"Major," Obāsama suggested to the bewildered man, "tell her that you saw her on television and that she was beautiful. You saw her dance and now you want to dance with her at your first opportunity."

"Yes… YES!" The Major's mental fog was gone. He keyed his phone to dial his wife and before leaving the room, bowed to the elderly woman and said, "Thank you Obāsama, that was perfect."

"That was amazing Obāsama. You told him exactly what he needed to say, to fix his wife." Noto said with admiration.

"It was nothing. Some problems are just easier to fix than others." Obāsama said, but she smiled at the complement nonetheless. The smile faded when she thought about poor Maya, still struggling with her postpartum depression. _If only I could give you a simple solution to fix your wife, Noto-kun._

.

 **Wednesday morning, March 9th – Tokyo Station**

* * *

The first run of the newest member of the Japan Rail East train fleet was to have an early start on it's maiden trip. Being the thorough person that she was, Umeko arrived two hours early to test herself on all that she had studied. Her juniors arrived an hour later and they went over everything again. By the time the train was ready to board, they all felt prepared. Their goal was to make this trip enjoyable, yet as uneventful as possible for their passengers.

Umeko had hit it off well with her coworkers and it wasn't long before they found their rhythm. Since it was the first time for the new train, many of the customers had questions about the train and the new Super-Green car itself. Questions were answered, food and drinks were served, and before she knew it, they were pulling into Shin-Aomori station.

Umeko and her crew would have a break while the train was serviced and made ready for the return trip to Tokyo. She took a seat in the crew lounge and pulled out her cell phone.

"Checking in with your boyfriend?" one of the girls asked.

"No boyfriend. I'm seeing how my little sister is doing." Umeko replied.

"Little sister?" the other girl asked.

"Yeah," Umeko pulled up the video from the previous night's concert and showed it to them, "She's the one with the long red hair."

"Minami Suzume is your sister?" both of the girls asked incredulously.

"Shh! Yes, but keep it down." Umeko said as she looked around at all the stared that the girl's outburst had caused.

"That's kinda unbelievable." the first girl still sounded shocked.

"Are you two… fans?" Umeko had watched her little sister's career steadily grow, but it grew slowly with Ryuuji's insistence that she still had her responsibilities as a student. And not just any student. He had got her enrolled at the impressive Meji School in Tokyo. Sometimes, Umeko wondered if her little sister might have already rocketed to superstar status under another manager, but her rational mind would kick in and remind her that Ryuuji-sama had a long term plan for all of them, and he was a much more reliable manager than most in the entertainment industry.

"Yes! I've been to one of their concerts and I can name all the members. The lead singer is Aiko-chan and she performs with Kawashima Ami, Kurosawa Hisako, and Minami…" the shorter of the two junior crewmembers proudly stated until she got to Suzume's name and realized that it was the same family name as the Minami-senpai sitting next to her now.

"Hello?' a voice came from Umeko's phone and she brought it to her ear, not realizing she had hit the call button.

"Suzume?" Umeko asked. The voice didn't sound like her sister.

"No, Umeko-san. Your sister is in the dressing room right now. This is Umeki. I can give her a message for you, if you like." the girl said in a helpful tone.

"Okay, well tell her that I miss her and to be careful. Australia is a dangerous place after all." Umeko said.

"Ah, well… I'll tell her that you miss her. But I can't tell her the rest." Umeki said apologetically.

"What? Why not?" Umeko was surprised at the younger girl's response. It also made her a bit upset with the girl. But before Umeki could respond, there was another voice in the background.

"Is that Suzume's nee-san? Give me the phone." Umeko heard a voice in the background and recognized Hisako's strong tone. She was going to ask why Umeki was being so obstinate – but she never got the chance.

"Umeko, listen up and listen good." Hisako spoke quickly and quietly as if she didn't want to get caught having this conversation, "Your constant badgering about how everywhere else in the world is dangerous and Japan is the only safe place, is really starting to aggravate your sister. So, if you don't want to create some distance between you and her, you'd better rein that shit in. You understand?"

"You…" _You have no right to tell me how to_ _care for_ _my little sister!_ ...is what she wanted to say. But, on reflection, Hisako hadn't _ordered_ her to stop it. The phrase was conditional; _if_ she didn't want to create distance between herself and her sister – _then_ she needed to stop harping on how foreign places are so dangerous. "I… didn't know it bothered her so much."

"Hey, where's my phone?" Suzume's voice could be heard in the background.

"Here you go." Hisako told her, "Your sister's on. I was just saying hi."

"Nee-san! I got your messages earlier. How was the new Super-Green Car? Was it really as nice as you thought it would be? Does the new train feel any different?" Umeko's little sister's voice sounded bubbly and excited. Suzume was obviously thrilled for her sister's promotion.

"It's very nice. Maybe you'll see it one day. But, more importantly… how is everything going there?" _Are you keeping safe?_  
"Is Yuri-sensei keeping you up with your lessons?" _Are you being careful?_  
"Are you eating well?" _Are you only going places in groups?_  
"How is everyone else doing?" Umeko's fist clenched with the effort to hold her tongue on all the warnings she wanted to blurt out.

"Silly Nee-san! This is the break between grades, so we don't have any lessons to keep up on. But, Yuri-sensei is teaching us a lot of English since we're in a English speaking country. Oh, I wish you could have seen us last night… it was amazing!"

"I did see you last night." Umeko said.

"Huh?" Suzume couldn't believe what her sister had just said.

"I had to pay a little extra to the cable company, but I got the Australian channel that is hosting the show. You and Umeki-chan were very cute together. And your singing performance was wonderful too!" Umeko told her younger sister.

"Really!" Suzume almost shrieked. She was thinking that her sister was making it up until she mentioned that she had seen Umeki on the red carpet walk. Suzume was happily stunned; she had never expected anyone in Japan to be able to watch the show… at least not live.

 _Gong – ding – Gong!_

"I have to go now. That was the alarm to announce that the crews need to return to the train." Umeko was getting up from the table, but took the time to tell her far away sister, "Suzume… I'm so proud of you."

.

 **Wednesday afternoon, March 9th – Melbourne Australia**

* * *

Ryuuji was standing outside the cavernous dressing area where the designers were meeting with the models and deciding _who_ they wanted for _which_ showings. And it wasn't just Ami, Hisako, and Suzume either. There were hundreds of models behind those closed doors. It was something like watching sports teams choosing athletes for their rosters, except the models were _very_ scantily clad so they could get into and out of different clothing items quickly. This he knew from long ago when he accompanied Ami to the modeling fair in Tokyo. The Melbourne show would last an entire week and it would be today that the models would get their assignments.

Hisako had approached this grimly, since this wasn't going to be a group job for all three of them. No, today they would be competing for slots against all the other models in the room – including their friends. And, it didn't sit well with Hisako. The wounds from being an outcast when teams were being chosen… were still too fresh. There was also the guilt she still felt from cheating Ami out of a job so many years ago.

Ryuuji had seen the haunted look in her eyes and wanted to do something, but this was an open audition for the models and there was little he could do. He tried to tell her that her chances were better since this was a foreign country and many of the designers wouldn't know anything about those old rumors… but that hadn't helped much.

So, Ryuuji waited to hear something from them with a handful of other male managers and guardians that had chosen not to trespass into the room of scantily clad models.

"Ryuuji Takasu?" a woman dressed in something that made her look as if a bunch of colorful fall leaves had been glued to her body by their stems.

"Um, yes… can I help you?" Ryuuji was glad he was wearing his mirror-shades since his eyes were all over the woman's body in an effort to figure out how she was wearing the leaves.

"Come with me." she snapped as she took his arm and marched off down the hallway – away from the door that lead to his charges.

"But…" Ryuuji wanted to tell her that he needed to wait by the door for the girls.

"Yeah yeah… this will only take a minute." the woman pulled him into a small room.

 _Maintenance Office_ was written on the door of the room, but there was nothing in the room but a chair and another door. A rather powerful looking man was sitting in the chair and reading a newspaper as they walked past. He glanced over the top of the newspaper but didn't make any other move.

#This one's with me Max.# the leaf woman said as she opened the other door and pulled Ryuuji through and into… the place where he should not trespass.

Ryuuji almost fell when he realized where he was. This was the staging and selection area and it was an incredibly busy place. Assistants were running here and there with colorful dresses, packages, or food. Designers were trying things, changing things, and making the selections that would give them a win or a lose, on the runways of the next several days. And the models…

"The mirror-shades will help so the girls don't get creeped that you're checking them out, but try to keep your mouth closed." the leaf woman told him as they walked past models that weren't even scantily clad. Many of them were topless and some were completely nude.

"I'll be okay." Ryuuji thanked the stars that his voice didn't catch when he rebuked her little insult.

"Oho, so you're going to tell me that you're not going to turn into a dazzled farm boy?" the leaf woman asked with a sly grin.

"I'm married to Kawashima Ami." Ryuuji forced the woman to stop and look at him while he defended his character, "And, I've been teased by Kurosawa Hisako. This much I can handle easily."

"Okay then," the leaf woman said after a moment of considering him. Then she pulled him through a last curtain were he found all of the girls he was responsible for… surrounded by several teams of designers. And it was _all_ of them too. Aiko-chan, Umeki, Nanako, Yuri-sensei, and Yasuko were supposed to only be there for moral support… but they were in states of undress or fashion dress too.

"What?" Ryuuji barely avoided gaping when he saw his topless mother helping a nude Aiko-chan into something that looked like a fairy princess dress.

"Do your magic, manager-san." the leaf lady said as she walked over to help with the fairy princess outfit.

"Ryuuji! I'm glad you're here." Deena came over to him quickly. Of all his female friends in the room, she was the only one that was still wearing all of her clothes.

"What's going on?" Ryuuji asked. He noticed that Ami and Hisako were also coming over to him. Although Ami was also naked, he had seen her that way many times and wasn't terribly surprised.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know what to do." Deena apologized and seemed to be at her wits end.

"Hey," Ryuuji reached up and patted the platinum blond head in a comforting way. She was almost ten centimeters taller than him and four years older, but at the moment she seemed like a scared little sister that needed some confidence, "You're doing great. They are all safe. Nobody is hurt or even upset… from what I can see."

"Th… thank you, Ryuuji-sama." Deena said as Ami arrived.

"Do you have your cell phone on you?" Ami asked.

"Yeah," he was reaching into his pocket and was going to hand it to her. But that didn't seem to be her intention.

"You're gonna need to call my uncle and work some things out with him." Ami was about to explain but Ryuuji waved off the long story.

"They want everyone to dress up again, don't they?" Ryuuji asked, but he already knew the answer. As soon as he saw Deena's head nod he asked, "Is this what everyone wants to do? I'm okay with it as long as no-one is being forced to do something they don't want to do."

"Everyone's okay…" Ami started to say, but Hisako stopped her.

"You might want to have a talk with your mother." Hisako looked like she was betraying a friend by telling Ryuuji this, but she couldn't overlook her concern, "She's pushing Yuri… pretty hard."

"Let me… talk to Yuri-sensei. Then I'll call your uncle." he told Ami.

"I'll take you." Deena took his arm and moved in close to him. Sure, he was shorter than her, but she could feel the strength in that arm and she basked in the confidence he seemed to radiate. Or at least, she thought he did.

Ryuuji honestly felt that Deena was a little close. But Ami gave him an amused smile with a little wave as she went back to the swarm of designers with Hisako. He could tell that Deena was feeling nervous from being so far out of her element in this place, so he accepted her arm and moved through the room with her until they got to Yuri.

.

Yuri was miserable. She desperately wanted to get out of this, but Yasuko wouldn't hear of it. Her Onee-chan had insisted that she at least try. And that had hit home. Many times she had told a frightened or discouraged student that they should _try_ to do their best. She looked at herself in the full length tri-fold mirror as the assistants removed the latest garment from her. She stood there in nothing but her panties. Even her bra had been removed. The bra had been appropriate for a school teacher, but it didn't work at all with the fashions she was being asked to wear.

On the positive side, her body was back into being in the best shape it had been in her life. Yasuko had targeted the fat she had gained during her pregnancy, with vigorous exercise. And, as expected, Yasuko's efforts had made for some amazing results. Yuri and Ami both had been subject to Onee-chan's aggressive regimen. There had been many times that she had wanted to give up, but it wasn't in Yasuko's nature to leave her _little sisters_ alone. In the end, it had been easier to give in to Onee-chan's urging. And, in the end, Yasuko had actually pushed both of them into better health and better shape than they had ever been in before.

Or, at least Yuri _thought_ she looked better than ever before. And her husband seemed to agree. But that was the problem. With the revealing clothes they were asking her to wear, everyone would be seeing her figure… and she didn't know if it was really good enough for that. She imagined that many people would wonder why an old schoolmarm like her would think that she could stand alongside real models.

"Sensei?" Ryuuji's voice called to her.

In her fugue, she turned to see him there with Deena. He was just standing there. With his mirror-shades on, she couldn't tell if he was looking at her. But why should he. Married to someone like Kawashima Ami, why would he look at an old…

"Yasuko was right, you're really beautiful." Ryuuji said softly.

"Huh?" Yuri snapped out of her melancholy and realized that she was standing before him in nothing but her panties. With one hand trying to cover her breasts and another trying to cover her panties, she cried out an "Eep! Ryuuji, what are you doing here?"

"Sensei, in the next few minutes, I will be calling Ami's uncle at the agency. It's going to be a lot of work for them, but they are going to get all the agreements in place for all of you to… temporarily… work as models. But, I wanted to know if this is something you don't want to do. I don't want you to do it because Yasuko is pushing you… and then regret it later."

"So, you think I shouldn't do it." Yuri said emotionlessly, but her heart felt a little dejected at the judgment.

"Not at all. You are certainly beautiful enough to do it. The question is… how will it make you feel? It's not worth it, if it fills you with regret." Ryuuji said, in an attempt to correct Yuri's confusion.

"Really? You think that… someone like me… could do this?" Yuri's emotionless voice was gone. It trembled a bit, and her heart was filled with hope.

"Yes, but only if it is something that you like… or something that you want to do." Ryuuji was going to tell her that she shouldn't let anyone push her into this – not even Yasuko. But he stopped when he saw a single tear trace down her cheek.

"I… I don't hate the idea." Yuri bit her lip and summoned up her courage. Hands balled into fists and thrust down by her sides, her eyes closed tight as she cried out, "I'll do it!"

"All right!" Ryuuji cheered the usually timid teacher on. Then, since she had lowered her arms in her excitement, he got a good look at her and asked, "Sensei, I didn't remember your breasts being that large?"

"Yeah… that happened during the pregnancy. They'll probably get smaller after I finish breastfeeding." Yuri said as she looked down at her larger breasts while hefting them in her small hands to better examine their fullness. Suddenly it dawned on her that she was _again_ standing in front of Ryuuji, in nothing but her panties. This time it was worse as she was actually putting her naked breasts on display for a former student to gaze upon. Her face blushed a dangerous red as she screamed, "Ah, Ryuuji!"

.

 **Wednesday afternoon, March 9th – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

There had been a light snow the day before, but the sky had cleared up to a cloudless blue. The air was still cold, but it had a crispness to it that promised some good riding weather. Taiga and Minori were looking forward to it more than anyone else. Minori's natural athleticism allowed her to quickly learn the equestrian skills she needed. In no time at all, she was now riding one of the younger and healthier horses that could keep up with Taiga and Midnight Star. Of course, she was riding in the much easier to learn, Western style – since there were no other horses there that were trained to ride English, but that didn't matter to her. As long as she could keep up with Taiga, she was happy.

Emerging from the barn, Noto and Maya watched the two cavorting around the small pasture on their horses. Noto had a moment of joy as he envisioned a future where he and Maya would be coming out of the barn to see their daughters riding their horses around the pasture and having as much fun as Taiga and Minori were having.

"Can't you just see Ayame and Kiku doing that?" Noto asked his wife.

"Doing what?" Maya realized that she had been having a _long blink_. She shook her head a bit to try to rid herself of the sleepiness.

"Having fun on horseback. I would never have imagined Aisaka Taiga as an equestrian, but look at her! I hope our girl's can cut loose and enjoy riding as much as she does." Noto turned to his wife as he finished the sentence.

Maya couldn't hear Noto's words very well. They seemed muffled and everything seemed to be going dark. Sleepless nights and days of accumulated exhaustion finally caught up with Maya.

"Maya!" Noto cried out. He had looked at her just in time to see her eyes roll up and her listless body fall out of the saddle. Fortunately, her leg was caught in the stirrups or her head and neck would have crashed into the cold, hard ground. Noto lurched to grab at her, but the move startled the horse he was on and it plodded away from the stricken woman. One of the hands from the barn was running out to help, but it was Taiga and Minori who got there first. Minori pulled Maya's unconscious body up and Taiga freed her leg from the stirrup.

"What happened?" Minori asked while she handed Maya's body down to the hand.

"I… I don't know. I was talking to her and she just passed out." Noto said.

"She hasn't been sleeping well." Shinako commented. "It may just be a case of exhaustion. I will take her inside and look after her."

"I should…" Noto started to object, but Shinako cut him off.

"Not this time, Noto-sama. I would like to give Maya-chan the opportunity for some woman-to-woman talk. You will certainly be needed later, but let me do this for now." Shinako insisted.

"Well then… I will leave her in your care for now. Thank you Shinako-san." Noto made a bow from atop his horse and watched the elder cousin walk back to the house. She had been the family troubleshooter long enough that she had a reputation for being cold and utterly without compassion. But she had also been looking after Obāsama's health all that time and had been her staunch ally. In the vast Hisamitsu family, only Noto knew that she was truly a warm and very kind person. He had no doubts that Maya would be well cared for in Shinako's hands.

.

In the barn, The Major was about to mount his horse when he saw the stable-hand carrying Maya back on the way to the house. Right behind the man was Shinako. She seemed deeply concerned, but she smiled when she noticed The Major looking at her.

"Is there anything I can do?" The Major asked.

"Yes. Make sure Noto has a good time with his friends. There may be many difficult days ahead for him, so I want him to have as many good memories as he can, for now." Shinako said with a faltering smile.

"Understood. And… good luck." The Major had read between the lines and knew what Shinako was facing. Besides the grandmother, Noto and Maya were the only people in the family that were truly nice to her. But it might not be so for much longer. Maya's condition had worsened to the point that she almost hurt herself. Shinako could no longer watch and wait.

No matter how much Maya didn't want to talk about it, her option for silence was no longer acceptable. It was time for Maya to talk, even if she had to be… coerced.

Once again, Shinako would take on the responsibility of… the troubleshooter.

.

 **Wednesday afternoon, March 9th – Sendai Japan**

* * *

The southbound bullet train was nearing it's stop at Sendai when everyone's cell phone went off at once. It was common courtesy to mute your cell phone on the trains, but there are some things that push through the user controls to make sure the message is delivered. From the tone alone, many people recognized the warning: earthquake.

Umeko was one of those people who knew what the sound meant and she knew what would happen next. Being the most seismically active country in the world, Japan had built a lot of protections into their rail system. When a significant quake was detected, the electricity was cut off from the train lines and every train in the region would simply come to a stop. In many cases, the trains were stopped before the first tremors were felt. Most of the passengers had been through this before, but a few looked startled.

"May I have your attention?" Umeko called out to the passengers just as the train began decelerating, "Please remain calm and seated. The train will automatically come to a stop during the event. As soon as it is safe, we will be on our way again. Thank you."

"Are you sure?" a man was showing his phone to her, "It's reported that this is a seven point three magnitude quake!"

"I am quite sure." Umeko said confidently.

"How… how can you be so sure?" the man wasn't demanding so much as pleading for something to prop up his courage.

"Several years ago, this system was put into place. As soon as a significant earthquake is detected, all the trains will automatically come to a stop. Since that time, do you know how many train passengers have died or even been injured as a result of an earthquake?" Umeko asked.

"N...no." the man admitted his ignorance and yet still felt comforted by the reassuring smile from the attendant.

"Not even one." Umeko saw the momentary look of disbelief in the man's face, but she was sure of her facts. In the whole country, there had not been a single earthquake related injury on a train, since the system had been put in place.

"Not even one?" the man repeated with growing courage.

"That's right. So, you can relax. We will soon be on our way again – just as soon as the tremors are over and it is deemed safe."

The center of the earthquake was, like so many others, over a hundred kilometers out to sea – to the East of Sendai. The seismic sensors reported that the quake had been fourteen kilometers under the Pacific Ocean, where the Pacific plate and the Eurasian plate met in a subduction zone. The consequences of two such massive plates colliding included disasters like volcanoes, earthquakes, and the tidal waves that could be caused by those earthquakes. But there were benefits too. Beautiful mountains, fertile valleys, and an abundance of hot springs were also the results of the crustal plates that had been crashing into each other for thousands upon thousands of years. The islands of Japan owed their very existence to those dangerous plate tectonics.

The inhabitants of those islands struggled to remember that such an existence is not without its dangers.

.

 **Thursday afternoon, March 10th – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

Maya did not sleep well… again. The previous day's talk with Shinako ended, as expected, in tears. Having to explain her problem meant having to confront it. She didn't want to confront it. She desperately wanted to just sleep and forget about her failings as a woman, a wife, and a mother. No amount of wishing or praying seemed to help. She still could not see her own children as anything more than small creatures that suckled sustenance from her breasts… and turned it into poop. She tried to bond with them and wanted to feel something special so terribly much. But, it just wasn't there.

No affection.

No connection.

No love.

No happiness.

All of this, she had confessed to Shinako… despite her fear. She was afraid that Shinako or Obāsama would deem her unworthy.

Send her away.

Banish her from the family.

Get rid of her for the _damaged goods_ that she was.

But Shinako hadn't done any of those things. She had even held Maya when she cried. Shinako had comforted her with forgiveness, but she had exacted a promise as Maya's penance.

* * *

"I will arrange for you to see a specialist. I will make sure that you go to your appointments." Shinako told the young mother, "But you must promise me that you will do whatever it takes to get better. If the doctor tells you to talk, you will bare your soul. You will hold nothing back. If the doctor tells you to exercise, you will exercise. If the doctor tells you to take medicine, you will take the medicine. You will do whatever it takes to get better. Can you promise me that?"

"Yes, Shinako-sama. I want to get better! I want to love my girls! I want to be a good mother so very very much!" Maya had bawled.

* * *

Maya remembered the conversation as if it were a dream. _Can I really get better? Will I ever be able to love my daughters? And if I just fail again, then… then what?_ The tears began to fall again as Shinako came into the room.

"Ah Maya-chan, you are awake? Excellent, I have good news." Shinako smiled as she took Maya's hand.

"Oh?" Maya felt her outlook brighten a little with Shinako's smile and promise of something positive.

"Tomorrow holds much promise. I have found an excellent doctor who will see you tomorrow afternoon. He is in Osaka…" Shinako stopped when she felt the reaction of Maya's hand tightening in hers.

"That's… so far away." Maya said quietly. She would accept having to make the long trip, but it did rekindle the nightmarish fear of being sent away.

"Not at all." Shinako chuckled, "It will be like a school field trip."

"Huh?" Maya wasn't following her cousin-in-law's meaning.

"We will all be going with you." Shinako revealed with a smile.

"What? I don't want to inconvenience everyone. And… who will look after the babies?" Maya worried.

"They will be coming with us. But don't worry about an inconvenience. You and I will be the only ones to go to the doctor's office. The others will be visiting shrines and museums, and doing some shopping." Shinako explained.

"What about the babies?" Maya asked. The idea of having to carry four infants around a city's downtown area did not sound appealing to her.

"Did you not know that there is a shrine in Osaka dedicated to prayers for the health of infant children?" Shinako asked.

"They really have a shrine for that?" Maya's poor mood was muted by hearing such a surprising thing.

"It's Osaka!" Shinako laughed, "They have a shrine for everything!"

.

"Obāsama?" Noto called out as he entered the darkened room. It wasn't entirely dark. The curtains were opened a little and his grandmother was standing at the window, gazing out at the pasture covered in muddy snow.

"Noto-kun… do you know that I have never enjoyed the view out of this window as much as I have this last week." Obāsama commented. Her memory was replaying the very recent view of watching Noto and the others heading out for another ride up into the surrounding hills, or watching Taiga and Minori cavorting on horseback through the small pasture.

"Oh?" Noto was unsure whether he should say _thank you_ or _you're welcome_ for such a comment.

"You have made some very good friends, young Noto-kun. I am impressed." Obāsama finally turned to look at him as she moved over to her desk. "More-so that they are also intelligent and wise."

"The Major?" Noto asked. His brain had processed her comment quickly and matched it against his friends that were currently visiting. Taiga and Minori were both intelligent. They were doing well at their university and fairly quick on the uptake… but wise?

"Indeed." Obāsama picked up a note and told Noto, "All of the construction units…"

"Yes." Noto held up the tablet that he was seldom without, "All the construction units are making good time now. I believe we will be able to get a good jump on the construction of this project and impress the Yamada group as well."

"Very good." Obāsama was pleased that her grandson was keeping tabs on his first project so well. In fact, it might be time for him to get another experience that would be necessary for his development as her successor. She had already been considering this option for a while, but his diligence convinced her that he was ready for a little more. "There is something else I need you to do."

"Yes?" Noto knew he was being appraised even as his grandmother was asking him.

"The Mayor in Sendai will know about our heavy construction unit pulling out, but we desperately need that business. This project of yours isn't being funded by a patron, so it will be coming out of the family's coffers. To keep those coffers full enough to pay for our side of the deal with the Yamada group…" Obāsama was explaining, but Noto had already caught on.

"We really need that Sendai contract." Noto said grimly. The idea of draining the family's already meager coffers made him doubt his decision to jump at the Yamada offer. _Perhaps I was too eager, too greedy. Maybe I should play it safe. No! I am convinced that the only way to save the family is to become aggressive. I must prove that taking the initiative can lead all of us to success._

"I understand that Shinako is arranging a little expedition to Osaka tomorrow?" Obāsama said, more than asked.

"Yes. The arrangement is that I will be entertaining our guests while Shinako takes Maya to see a specialist about her…" Noto couldn't finish. To some extent, he felt guilty for Maya's unhappiness. Going into the marriage, they had both known that his family wanted them to have children soon… and often. But, it might have been too soon. Maya might not have really been ready for that, and he had done nothing to slow down that goal. He constantly worried that there might have been a sign that he had missed. Something about her that was begging him to wait… and he had ignored it out of his own callousness or stupidity.

"Postpartum depression." Obāsama said the words clearly while watching Noto for his reaction. Then, in an imperious tone, she asked her doleful grandson, "Are you the kind of person that holds Maya-chan responsible for her condition?"

"No! I would never…" Noto rebuked the idea that he hated or blamed Maya for the troubles she was going through.

"Then, don't blame yourself either." Obāsama told him firmly.

"Yes, Obāsama." Noto bowed in gratitude to his grandmother. He knew what she was trying to instill in him, but it was hard to forgive himself completely.

"I want you to go out to Sendai. We need to give them some face time and let them know that we are still eager for their contract. Do you think you can do that?" Obāsama knew what she was asking of him. He had infant children, guests, and a wife in distress – that he would be leaving behind, to represent the interests of the Hisamitsu industrial business. It was a lot to ask of anyone, but for a young man who was not yet old enough to legally drink alcohol…

"Yes Obāsama, I can do that much." Noto said with determination.

.

 **Friday afternoon, March 11th – 25km Under the Pacific Ocean, 120km East of Sendai**

* * *

The small island of Kinkasan is located a few kilometers off the coast of the Japanese mainland in the usually calm waters of the Pacific ocean. There are only a few dozen inhabitants that live on the island. Also on the island are several shrines, a few parks, and a seismometer. That important, scientific device picked up the earthquake that occurred that cold and overcast afternoon. This newly detected earthquake wasn't far from the location of the one that had occurred a few days before. It was a little closer and a little deeper, but that is not what made it so concerning. At an initial magnitude measurement of eight point nine, it was almost a hundred times more powerful than the previous earthquake of a few days ago.

The seismometer immediately sent out the signal to stop all the trains.

Flash messages went out to cell phone towers and local governments.

Less than a minute later, the first shocks were felt in the nearby city of Sendai.

A few seconds after that, people watched as tall buildings swayed in Tokyo.

And for hundreds of kilometers north and south of Sendai, coastal communities started to hear the warnings to evacuate the low lying areas in anticipation of the inevitable… tsunami.

.

* * *

.

 **Glossary**

 **Aomori** – The northernmost city on the main island of Honshu where the bullet train stops, before it dives into the undersea tunnel to connect to the next island (Hokkaido).

 **Obāsama** \- "grandmother" said very respectfully. In the story, this title is specifically used for Hisamitsu Noto's grandmother.

 **Osaka** – A city west of Tokyo on a bay that connects to the Pacific Ocean. It is also close to the smaller island of Shikoku, which is where the prefecture of Tokushima can be found.

 **Sendai** – A city north of Tokyo along the Pacific coast and about halfway to the northern tip of the main island of Honshu.

 **Vegemite** – A thick black food spread made of vegetable, spice, and brewer's yeast. Popular in Australia.


	6. Chapter 6 - March 11, 2011

**Fri** **day** **afternoon** **, March** **11** **th –** **5km Over Sendai**

* * *

Shinako much preferred trains or boats, to airplanes. Sometimes air travel was unavoidable. Unless you had a lot of time on your hands for travel, a trip to a faraway place like Okinawa, or Australia would have to be by plane. But the alternatives there were slow moving boats and the distances were vast. So, to her way of thinking, this flight from Osaka to Sendai was needless. Sure, it cost about the same, and it did the trip in less time than a bullet train, but flying was always such a hassle. And… staying on the ground just seemed safer.

However, Obāsama wanted Noto in Sendai as soon as possible, and that meant flying. And, since his protector and good luck charm, Hisako, was out of the country for a modeling gig, that meant Shinako would have to go along to assist him. At least, that was the excuse that Obāsama told Noto for the reason she was also sending Shinako. In truth, Shinako would be watching and listening in on everything that Noto did… and reporting it back to Obāsama. It was true that Noto would some day lead the Hisamitsu family – either to greatness or to ruin. But that day hadn't come yet and the old lady that had been managing the affairs of the family for most of her adult life understandably wanted to know if she was yielding her position to someone worthy of the job. Of course, Noto was no idiot either. He knew why Shinako was there… or at least he should. His nonchalance at the arrangement had worried Shinako that he may not be taking this endeavor seriously enough… or he was more naive than she thought.

"Noto-sama, you do know why Obāsama sent me along with you… don't you?" she asked her younger cousin resting passively in the seat next to hers.

"Of course. You are here to assist me with the Sendai politicos. Mayor, City Council, Assemblymen… whoever we have to shake hands with to convince them that we are still in the game for that seawall project." Noto murmured without opening his eyes.

"Noto-sama…" Shinako sighed and wished that Noto had figured this out already and that she didn't have to spell it out for him, "I am also here as a spy."

"No you're not." Noto said without any reaction to what she had just told him.

"I beg your pardon, Noto-sama – but I am. I will be watching everything you do and reporting it back to Obāsama." Shinako said firmly, and yet also apologetically.

"I understand what you are here to do. But that does not make you a spy. A spy works for the enemy, and Obāsama is not my enemy." Noto replied casually. "A more correct metaphor would be that you have come along to be my proctor."

"Proctor?" Shinako wondered how she fit into that role.

"I am learning how to interact with other people in the interest of the family business. I am learning from people like Yamada Yukiko, Obāsama, and even from you. Obāsama has sent me to Sendai to put to practice that which I have learned. This is a test, is it not?" Noto asked.

"Yes." Shinako agreed.

"You are here to proctor the test. A proctor monitors the examination. She insures there is no cheating and that all the conditions of the examination are conducted appropriately. When it is done, she reports the failure or success of the student to the the sensei." Noto explained.

"So, you don't see me as a spy?" Shinako still felt that Noto was being a little naive. Perhaps he needed another lecture on the way things worked in the real world.

"I do not." Noto opened his eyes and looked into hers as his tone suddenly shifted from casual to confrontational, "And I have to say that I find it disturbing and a great deal disappointing that you do."

"What?" Shinako was unused to being addressed that way from her younger cousin.

"We have a long road ahead of us. There will be missteps and pitfalls along the way. I understood that you were someone that I would be able to count on… one of the few people I could put my trust in. But how can I believe that, if you honestly believe that Obāsama and I are somehow at odds. How can I rely on you if you can only see things in terms of us-and-them… and never all-of-us. And how could I trust a person that would accept a request to spy on her family and her friends?" Noto demanded.

Shinako was speechless. She had never wanted be a spy in the first place, but she had accepted that undesirable task as part of her duty as Obāsama's troubleshooter long ago. And, she certainly hadn't wanted to spy on Noto. Other than Obāsama, he had been the first family member that had ever really befriended her. And now he was telling her that he was… disappointed in her? _He is disappointed in me? I am the elder cousin here! I am Obāsama's troubleshooter! What gives him the right to evaluate me? He's the one on trial here, not me! I am here to evaluate him!_

 _Evaluate…_ _evaluate?_

 _A proctor evaluates. But spies do too! They look for weaknesses and report them back to the enemy… Oh no! Could… could Noto be right? Is there something wrong with my way of thinking after all?_

The plane had been on final approach to the airport in Sendai for several minutes. Their seats were raised and cell phones were off as requested. So it came as a surprise when the big passenger plane suddenly lurched and trembled as the two jet engines on the wings thundered to full power. Shinako grabbed onto Noto as the airplane also went into a steep bank.

"This is why I hate flying!" Shinako whimpered as she clung to Noto.

"I don't know. It looks like this was a good day to be in the air after all." Noto said as he looked past his scared cousin at the disastrous view down below.

"Huh?" Shinako's curiosity got the better of her and she turned to see what was so fascinating that Noto couldn't look away from the window. At first, she couldn't understand what it was that she was seeing. A ponderously large amount of water was spilling onto the runways and grounds surrounding the airport. Small vehicles and containers were being washed away from where they had been parked or abandoned. And then the plane was back up into the clouds over the flooding city. She looked back at her younger cousin in confusion at what she had just witnessed through the window. He seemed deep in thought and she felt remiss to interrupt his thinking, but she wanted some answers. _What did I just see down there? Why didn't we land? Is there something wrong with the plane? Are we going to crash?_ She was about to blurt out her questions when the speakers above their heads came to life with an announcement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the pilot. First of all, I would like to tell you that there is nothing wrong with the airplane and your safety is assured. However, as some of you may have seen out the windows, a tragedy is unfolding on the ground below us. From what I am being told, a magnitude eight-point-four earthquake occurred off the coast of Sendai a short time ago and caused a tsunami that is now hitting the east coast of Japan. All air traffic to Sendai, and some of the other coastal airports, is being diverted to the nearest safe destination. We will be landing in Yamagata shortly. I apologize for this inconvenience but in this time of crisis, I would ask that you cast your hopes for the many people affected by this disaster." The overhead speaker crackled once after the pilot finished speaking, then went silent. There was a stunned silence from everyone on the plane as well.

.

 **Friday afternoon, March 11th – Under Mount Amatsukayama, South of Sendai**

* * *

For the second time in as many days, the Shinkansen unexpectedly slowed down and come to a stop near Sendai. As before, it happened immediately after everyone's cell phones suddenly blared the warning for an imminent earthquake. This time, the train was in one of the long tunnels that ran under the higher elevations between Sendai and Fukushima, on its way back to Tokyo. Several people had become startled when the train suddenly went very dark, with only the battery powered emergency lights on. Umeko checked her phone to see what the announced intensity of the quake would be and where the epicenter was. From long experience, she knew about what to expect on the trains after doing a rough calculation in her head. She was about to tell everyone her usual spiel, _E_ _xpect some shaking – then there w_ _ill_ _be a slight delay as the tracks_ _are_ _checked for safety._ _Then, the Shinkansen will_ _be on it's way again._ In other words – the usual announcement. But the rumbling and swaying started before she could make her announcement. And it kept going and going. The train rocked and swayed on it's tracks much more fiercely than her predictions called for.

Taking her seat and putting on her safety belt as the manual instructed, she felt the tremors that shook the mighty train like a toy. They were a lot more vigorous, and lasted a lot longer than she had expected. Checking her phone again she had a doubt about the announcement, _Th_ _ose numbers couldn't be right! Either the epicenter was a lot closer, or th_ _ere is no way that was only an eight-point-four!_ _It… it would have to be at least a nine…_ Thinking about what it would mean if the epicenter really was at sea, east of Sendai with an earthquake of that magnitude… she hoped they got the epicenter wrong.

"Senpai, what do we do? That earthquake was a lot worse than…" her juniors kept their voices low the way they had been trained, but Umeko could feel the tension and fear emanating from them.

"Calm now. We are the hand-picked elite from all the Green Cars, right? Now, take a deep breath and remember your training. Even if this were a magnitude nine earthquake, we would still follow the same protocols, right? Now, tell me what you remember." Umeko hoped they couldn't detect the fear she felt even as she gave her supporting speech.

"Make sure the passengers are as comfortable as possible." the first girl said.

"Check for injuries and try to maintain calm and order." the second girl said.

"Very good. Now, one of you has a bit more medical training than the minimum first aid, right?" Umeko asked them after she could see that they were calming down.

"Yes… I am studying to be a nurse." the second girl answered.

"Excellent. I want you to check on the health of the passengers now. When you are done, I would like for you to make your way forward to the other cars and render aid where necessary. You don't have to do it. Your contract says that you only have to work on the Super-Green car, so I am not making it an order. But, I do think it would make a good image for the company as well as the staff of the Super-Green car if you do it." Umeko said.

"I… I'll do it!" the second girl turned and immediately set about her task.

"There's a reason you are the senpai." the first girl said with a smile as they watched the future nurse start seeing to the passengers. Then she turned back to Umeko and asked, "What about me?"

"I want you to see to their comfort. I am going to be glued to the emergency phone until someone can tell me what to really expect, so I'm going to need you to look after all the passengers as if you were three people. Don't let them think that we short staffed them in the middle of an emergency. Got it?" Umeko tried to put as much bravado into this speech as she had put into the last, but this girl was a bit more experienced.

"So, you don't think this was an eight-point-four either?" the first girl asked.

"No… in fact… I'm pretty sure it wasn't." Umeko could read the other girl's thoughts since she was worried about the same thing. Depending on where you were, there were specific things to worry about when an earthquake happened. If you lived in a big city, you would be concerned about a building falling on you. If you were on the coast, you would be more anxious about the tsunami that followed the earthquake. But if you were in a train that was stopped underneath a mountain, your biggest fear would be for a possible tunnel collapse.

"Okay then… I hope you hear some good news on that phone." the girl said grimly, but she was all smiles before she turned around and faced the passengers.

"Umeko reached for the phone and wished that she could dial her little sister to make sure she was okay… _no wait, Suzume's in Australia now_ _with Ryuuji-sama and Onee-chan and… all the others_ _. So, she should be safe. She's safe… in… another country._ The tears started to slide down her cheeks while she listened in on the emergency line for someone to pick up. The stress of constantly worrying about her little sister so far away in some foreign country, suddenly replaced with the assurance that she would be okay _because_ she was so far away… Okay FINE! Her internal voice screamed at the fates, or the gods, or whoever must be pulling the strings in her life. _Fine! Fine! Fine! Fine! FINE! I won't fight it any more. If she want's to go to the ends of the Earth, she can go. As long as she goes with… them._

.

 **Friday afternoon, March 11th – Osaka, Japan**

* * *

In the middle of the skyscraper-rich Kita Ward of Osaka, lies an old hospital that looks all but swallowed up by the giant buildings that surround. The old three story, red brick building with it's walkway arches, symmetric windows, and domed cupola looked quaint and out of place amidst the elevated streets and railways that flanked it across the front and left, and the tall buildings that reached up to the clouds on the other sides. But the professional building that was to be Maya's destination was in one of the taller and more modern buildings near the old hospital. It still wasn't one of the tallest buildings around, but at fifteen floors, it towered over the old hospital's main entrance.

A change in plans meant that Shinako wouldn't be accompanying Maya to the appointment though. She wanted to, but she also had her other responsibilities. So, today it would be Obāsama herself that would take the young woman into Japan's third most populous city. Not having lived in Tokyo like so many of her friends, Maya was a little intimidated by the big cities. But she felt comforted that Obāsama was with her.

The waiting room at the doctor's office that Shinako had found, was designed to present a warm and comforting atmosphere. Attention had been paid to colors, shapes, and textures for the furnishings, lighting, and even the walls. Even the background music had been selected to promote a feeling of comfort. It was the kind of conclusion that came from years of research by the behavioral sciences and, at least for Maya, it was working. She was sitting on an overstuffed couch next to Obāsama and staring at a wall painting of a copse of trees on a sunny hillside. Her sleep starved brain wandered into the half-dream world where she walked among those trees and breathed the sweet pine and gentle lavender aromas on the cool mountain air. The leaves of the tall trees mixed with the pure sunlight to make a dappled pattern of light and shadow on the forest floor where she was walking.

"What a wonderful place." Maya murmured. In her relaxed state, she had leaned over and her head was resting on Obāsama's shoulder. Her eyes were closed and she was finally getting some much needed rest. Unfortunately, her timing was awful.

"Hisamitsu… Shinako?" the doctor asked the elder woman seated next to the sleeping girl.

"No. She had to attend to something else at the last minute. I am her Obāsan. The young lady that we want you to see is young Maya here." Obāsama gestured to the sleeping girl leaning against her.

"Hisamitsu Obāsan… You are _the_ Obāsama of the Hisamitsu family?" the doctor sounded a bit surprised.

"Yes." Obāsama was used to other business-people recognizing her, but she hadn't expected it from someone in the medical profession. "Have we met before?"

"No. My son is going to university with your grandson and his wife. They are good friends and he talks about them all the time." the doctor told her.

"In that case, I am sure that your son is a fine young man. My grandson has impressed me with the caliber and mettle of the friends he has made." Obāsama said in a way that commended the man's son while also showing pride in her own grandson.

"Your grandson has also regaled my boy with stories about his impressive Obāsama as well." the doctor returned the complement.

"Hmpf… it seems I'll have to talk to Noto about telling wild tales." Obāsama sounded concerned.

"No no no. Every story that has been relayed to me spoke of a refined woman of elegance and grace. Someone who has the determination and will to be the matriarch of her family's businesses , and yet the compassion to inspire your grandson to be the best father he can be. Truly, it is a pleasure to meet you." the doctor said earnestly.

"In that case doctor, I am sure that you will do your best. For you see, the young lady I want you to help is my grand-daughter-in-law. The very same young lady that is your son's friend at university. I believe she is suffering terribly from postpartum depression. I've tried to help her but…" Obāsama's veneer of calmness started to crack. The weeks of watching poor Maya deteriorate and being powerless to help… had taken it's toll. The fear of losing another grandchild to the cold embrace of death haunted her day and night. She had tried her best to make things better for Maya, but now she had to admit, "Nothing… nothing I do seems to help at all."

"Obāsama, I will do my best for your grand-daughter. Please, entrust her into my care." the doctor offered the distraught lady.

Obāsama was about to reply when everyone's cell phone suddenly went off with a warning tone. The clamor woke Maya from her slumber and she took a moment to realize where she was before reaching for her own phone to silence it and read the warning message. She didn't get to it before she heard Obāsama gasp.

"Sendai!" Obāsama's heart tightened with fear. She had just sent Noto and Shinako there. Trying to think fast as everyone got up to move outside, she tried to remember the flight details.

"Noto?" Maya's voice sounded panicked as she read the message on her phone.

"He'll be okay. His plane is probably still in the air – and that's one place that an earthquake can't affect you." Obāsama said with a confidence she wished she could feel. She knew that it would be a close thing for him to still be in the air. His landing time was very close to the time of the announcement. If his flight was even slightly ahead of schedule… _Still, an airport is probably one of the safest places to be during an earthquake. There would be no falling buildings or rock-slides near an airport. Yes… I must assume that Noto and Shinako are okay. Besides, even an eight-point-four shouldn't…_

Everyone's thoughts were interrupted when the shaking started. The epicenter of the quake was about seven hundred kilometers away, so the distance should greatly attenuate the severity of the tremors felt in Osaka. With a reported magnitude of eight-point-four, the people in Osaka weren't expecting much, but the emergency flash messages had been sent, so people followed the safety drills that they had been practicing since grade school and moved to safer places. The elderly would remember a time before warnings of intensity and precise locations. Their experience would tell them that, given the distance and intensity, they would all go outside, feel a few moments of tremors, watch some power lines sway, then go back inside and get back to what they were doing. But this time, that was not to be.

Even in Osaka, the tremors felt more powerful than they should have been and they lasted much longer than anyone had expected. Not just power-lines, but the skyscrapers of Osaka swayed a bit as well. Certainly, it was nothing as pronounced as the swaying of the tall buildings in Tokyo, which was much closer to the epicenter – but it was a lot more than anyone had expected.

Maya and Obāsama held onto each other as the ground beneath their feet rumbled. As the shaking continued minute after minute, Maya was amazed at the duration, while Obāsama was deeply concerned.

"So, this is what an eight-point-four is like?" Maya wondered aloud. It was the first time she had been so close to an earthquake of that magnitude. Sure, there had been the Hokkaido earthquake from eight years before. It had registered eight-point-three but it had been early in the morning and Maya, like so many others, had slept through the whole thing.

"No… this isn't an eight-point-four." Obāsama said grimly.

"Huh?" Maya thought for a moment that she should fish her phone out and read the message again, but Obāsama was still clinging to her.

"I hope I'm wrong, but I think those tremors came from something a lot more serious than an eight-point-four." Obāsama voiced her concern, then shook herself and relaxed her grip on Maya. Forcing a smile, she turned back to her grand-daughter-in-law and said, "Well, there will probably be some aftershocks, but for the moment… let's see if that nice doctor can see you now."

"What? We need check on Noto and the children!" Maya was pulling her phone out of her bag now, but Obāsama stopped her.

"Not now. I appreciate your concerns for your friends and family, but cell phones will be useless for a while." the calm old woman explained, "For now, we must do what we can and hope that our friends are well."

Maya didn't want to believe Obāsama, but the 'No Service' icon on her phone forced her to accept it. She looked up at the scattered clouds in the blue sky and did what the old woman had suggested – the only thing she could do. She hoped for the best for Noto, her children, her friends, and for anyone caught up in the disastrous aftermath of a big earthquake.

.

Not too far away from the hospital where Obāsama and Maya were, their friends and all the children were about to enter one of the many shrines in the area. A large vermilion Torii gate marked the entrance to the Shinto shrine that had been the focus of their visit. Just as some shrines were supposed to have particular favor for relationships, or studies, or success in business, this one had a reputation for conveying good fortune to infants.

There were four baby strollers, all being pushed by people that the children would grow up to know as dear family and friends. From the way Taiga and Minori dotted on the babies, the children might reach their teens before discovering that Obasan Taiga and Obasan Minori aren't actually blood relatives. To hear the two of them talk, it was clear that they planned to be very involved aunties.

"I want to be there for their first day of school." Taiga stated as if setting a goal to work for. She was pushing the stroller with Ryuuji and Ami's little Tatsuya. That had been a strategic compromise since the child's grandfather, grandmother, and great-grandmother were all on this little trip. The Takasu Obāsan and Kawashima Obāsan didn't mind too much since they got to push the strollers with the tiny Hisamitsu children who would grow up to be childhood friends with their little Tatsuya.

"Ha, even before their first day of school will be their Shichi-go-san! That'll be in just two and a half years, right?" Minori cheered.

"More like three and a half." Kawashima Anna said after some thought.

"Huh? For the girls, their first one should be when they are three years old, right?" Minori asked the question that she and Taiga were both wondering.

"Their birthdays are on November 30th though. They won't technically be three years old yet when the holiday comes around in two and a half years." Takasu Obāsan reminded them.

"Aww, that sucks. They'll miss the holiday by two weeks?" Taiga grouched, "They'll be the oldest girls there."

"Maybe, but Ami had the opposite problem. She was born the day before Shichi-go-san, so she was the youngest girl there. She was so tiny and she had no idea what was going on. At least this way, the Hisamitsu girls may be able to enjoy it more." Anna told them.

"Yeah, I guess." Taiga pouted, "But that means we have to wait longer for a holiday with them."

"What are you talking about? You've already had an important holiday with the girls." Takasu Obāsan said with a slightly jealous smile. She had looked through the photo album that Obāsama was already starting for her great grand-daughters. And in it, some of the most recent photo's were of the two sets of dolls proudly displayed in the formal living room.

"Eh?" both Taiga and Minori didn't remember any holiday they had spent with Noto and Maya's daughters.

"Hinamatsuri was just a week ago. Didn't you notice all the dolls on display?" Anna asked the two younger women of the group.

Minori and Taiga looked at each other and gaped.

"Girl's Day! How could we forget?" Taiga couldn't believe she had forgotten that day. But then, it was around that time that she was having so much fun finding out how much she and Midnight Star could remember of their dressage lessons. And, she had been showing Minori and Maya how to ride English style – the way that she rode.

"Heh heh heh," Minori made an embarrassed laugh and admitted, "I don't think I ever did a Girl's Day… at least I don't remember any. I was always a tomboy, I guess."

"Well, there really isn't much to it at their age. You put the dolls up, get a couple of pictures, then take them down." Ojiisan observed until he saw both his wife and Kawashima Anna glaring at him. "What?"

"It's an important day for girls!" his wife chided.

"That was rather insensitive, Ojiisan." Anna added.

"But… they're still just babies! They have no idea if they are having a party or not." Ojiisan futilely tried to justify his position. He noticed that the girl's started walking faster to put some distance between them and him. He was about to start walking faster to catch up with them when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't think it's about the babies." The Major told the older man.

"Huh?" Ojiisan asked the American while the women got further away.

"There was a saying in my family… and there is probably something similar in Japanese. _When mama's not happy, nobody's happy._ " The Major said.

"Yeah, we have an idiom like that." Ojiisan replied but still didn't see how that related to Girl's Day.

"Think about it. On that holiday, mother's get to dress up their daughters in clothes that the little girls are unfamiliar with. They set out dolls that their daughter's don't get to see or play with all the rest of the year. The food and drinks are more appropriate for adults than children. And the symbolism is for their daughter's to have luck in marriage and future children of their own." The Major said quietly as if they were talking about state secrets.

"Yeah… well… so it's not a very well thought out holiday. But I still don't need to hear a foreigner criticize it." Ojiisan let a little of his cultural pride out in his response.

"I'm not criticizing it. I'm saying that the ones that truly benefit from that holiday aren't necessarily the _little_ girls." The Major said with a conspirator's grin.

"Oh… AH!" Ojiisan suddenly realized his gaffe. And it was a faux pas he had been carrying with him ever since his daughter was born. Thinking of how many years that had gone by without him ever understanding his wife's feelings, he could just imagine her fury when he apologized now. "Oh no. I never realized… She's never going to let me live this down."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. I have a feeling…" The Major was about to cheer up the old man with his observation that good wives will forgive their husband's shortcomings – and he thought that Takasu Obasan was a pretty good wife. But that thought was interrupted when dozens of cell phones around them all started blaring warning signals. Like everyone else around them, the two men reached for their phones and read the message.

"Sendai? Isn't that were Noto and Shinako took off for this morning?" Ojiisan asked as he put his phone away and looked up to see the four baby carriages coming back toward him and the Major. Some people were afraid of thunder, but it was earthquakes that got to his wife. He tried not to smile as he thought of how she was so upset with him just a few seconds ago.

"It is. At this distance, it will be some time before the tremors get here. And, as much energy as there is in an eight-point-four, I wouldn't think much would happen this far away. Still, it would be better to be in the open." The Major decided. He looked up and saw all the girl's returning as well.

"I hope it's only an eight-point-four." Ojiisan said softly. He knew something about the alerts that wasn't common knowledge. And it wasn't comforting.

"What do you mean?" The Major asked.

"That initial message is a snapshot from a sensor. The intensity may actually go up from there… after the moment that the message is sent. So, try to think of it as a warning message that the earthquake is _at least_ an eight-point-four." Ojiisan finished just as his wife and the others got back to them.

As soon as the strollers were stopped, Minori pulled out her phone again and tried to call Maya. She wanted to let her know that her children were okay. But it was too late – the cell traffic was already snarled with anxious calls and in a few moments, all those calls would be restricted so that emergency services would be able to use the towers. As she was lowering the phone, Minori felt a trembling Taiga attach herself to her side.

"I… really… hate… earthquakes." Taiga said as she hid her face in Minori's chest.

"I know." Minori patted Taiga's head to try and comfort her, "It's far away. We'll be okay here in Osaka."

"I… I hope the horses aren't scared." Taiga said as the first tremors started to move the ground underneath their feet.

.

 **Friday afternoon, March 11th – Melbourne, Australia**

* * *

Ryuuji was, once again, standing out by the doorway to the dressing area. The girls had done well with their earlier performances and were getting set up for the afternoon show. Fortunately, the lobby area where he waited with many other men, was fitted out with things to keep them all entertained. There were charging stations for cell phones and tablets, outlets for laptops, and big screen televisions with a variety of programs showing.

Since the television programs were all in English, Ryuuji mostly tuned them out. Yuri-sensei had told him to watch those programs to better develop his English language skills, but the entertainment and sports programs all seemed to have an accent or dialect that was difficult for him, and the news programs were boring. So, instead of watching the broadcasts, he was reading over the schedule for the evening program. He was concerned about a part of the show that focused on _adult oriented clothing_. The problem he had with it was that he didn't know what that meant. Would it be business attire… or sexy lingerie? In any event, he didn't think it would be appropriate for Aiko-chan and possibly not for Suzume either. Aiko-chan was a good girl and would do as she was told if he decided that she wasn't old enough for something like that. Suzume, on the other hand…

Suzume was already displeased that she didn't get to do everything that Ami and Hisako did. Sometimes she got fairly frustrated with Ryuuji when she though he was treating her like a kid. But, more often it was her sister that she was grievously upset with. Ryuuji thought that Umeko was being a bit overprotective too, but he would never say that. The last thing he needed was to have the elder sister upset with him for siding with an underage girl against her guardian's wishes. Ami's uncle at the talent management company had already told him what the result would be, if that ever happened. Umeko could claim breach of contract and pull her sister home in a heartbeat. But, more importantly, Suzume might hold that grudge against her sister for the rest of her life.

Things were good between them at the moment. The last phone call they had with each other had ended unexpectedly well. Umeko had said only positive things and none of the dire warnings that were so characteristic of her, when Suzume was away from home. Ryuuji vowed to himself that he would try and keep this good will between the sisters going. So he was often in the unenviable position of enforcing Umeko's wishes even when he thought they were unnecessary. And that brought him back to the problem at hand – should he deny the adult clothing program to Suzume, or discuss it with Umeko first. It was pointless to discuss it with Umeko since he already knew she would instantly forbid it. The only advantage there would be that he could tell Suzume that it was a decision that he and Umeko came to. Doing that would lessen Suzume's ire at him, but it would make things worse between the sisters.

His fingers were hovering over the phone and ready to start the message to Umeko, but he was deciding that he could put this off until he had a better idea of what – exactly – the _adult oriented clothing_ program included. A hand shoved his shoulder, almost making him drop the phone he was about to put away. He turned to see a burly Australian looking at him expectantly.

#Japanese, yeah?# the Australian asked in English.

#Yes, but I can speak some English too.#

#You got problems, mate.# the Aussie said the words sympathetically and pointed up to all the television screens in the lobby.

None of the televisions were on the programs they had been playing only a few minutes before. Now, they were all showing scenes of a land being swamped by a torrential amount of debris laden water. In many of the pictures it didn't even look like water any more. A dark mass simply carried the broken pieces of houses and buildings. Cars and boats bobbed along helplessly in this unrelenting black tide. The crawling mass of destruction simply buried or destroyed just about anything it ran into. Only the sturdiest concrete buildings weren't swept away by the chaos, but even those buildings did not survive unscathed.

Ryuuji was about to ask what this was all about when his eyes settled on one screen that showed pictures of the devastation with the familiar outline of Japan in the lower right hand corner of the screen. He couldn't hear the audio, but he could see the flashing red and white warning areas that stretched all the way from the northeast tip of Hokkaido, down to the Izu Islands south of Tokyo. Ryuuji's first thought was that this must be some special effects from a disaster movie, but it was on every screen… and every channel.

#Please… Can someone turn up the volume on that television?# Ryuuji asked for the screen that was showing the inset map of Japan. He could hear people relaying his request and, a few minutes later an attendant arrived with a remote in his hand. As soon as the volume came up, he could hear the repeated message and the reality set in.

"The meteorological agency is warning that very high tsunami are expected in the following areas: The Pacific Coast of Aomori Prefecture, The coast of Iwate Prefecture, the coast of Miyagi prefecture, the coast of Fukushima prefecture…" the list seemed to go on and on. Ryuuji wondered what could have caused such a tragedy as the list continued to be announced. He cringed when he heard the announcer say, "… the coast of Tokushima prefecture…"

"No!" Ryuuji gasped in panic a moment before his senses came back. He remembered that the Hisamitsu estate was not only far inland, but up in the hills of Tokushima. His family and friends would be safe… but… His eyes watched the dozen screens showing the catastrophic flow of debris and water as it destroyed farms, neighborhoods, and whole towns. Some of the debris was on fire – creating columns of black smoke rising into the overcast sky, as it floated across the landscape. Oil storage facilities were ablaze as if they had been bombed. Then, the camera switched to an airborne shot of the next wave, already on its way in towards the already saturated land.

"Why?" Ryuuji asked aloud, but the answer was on the screens as well. A powerful earthquake off the coast of Sendai, where the the Pacific plate collides with the Okhotsk plate, had propelled billions of tons of destructive flood-water in expanding circles across the immense Pacific Ocean. The vastness and the distance would reduce the effects in far away places like Australia or the Americas. But, to the nearby coastline of Japan… it was devastating.

"Ryuuji… tell me that this is a bad dream." he heard Ami's voice next to him. Looking about, a number of the models had come out to see what was going on. Among them were all of their friends. All of them watching the screens in horror as their little island country seemed to be getting devoured by this terrible natural disaster.

"I can't… I can't reach Onee-chan!" Suzume's shaken voice cried out as she tried again and again to raise her sister's cell phone. But she only got the unable to connect tone every time. Still, she kept trying again and again. "I can't reach her… I can't…"

"You won't be able to reach her now, but I'm sure she's okay." Yuri-sensei looked over at Aiko-chan who was also trying to call her parents. "All of the cell towers that are still working will have been switched over to emergency services by now. Until they have the situation in hand, no-one will be able to dial in or out to a cell phone."

"You… you said onee-chan would be okay. What makes you think that? How can you be sure?" Suzume was desperate to believe in whatever Yuri-sensei said, but she would still rather hear her sister's voice.

"Your sister works on the Shinkansen, right? None of the Shinkansen rail lines are in coastal, or low lying areas. So, they will be safe from a tsunami." Yuri stopped there. It was true that the track was generally in higher elevations than what a tsunami should be able to affect, but the danger for the Shinkansen would be related more to the thing that caused the tsunami. If the earthquake had caused a rock slide or a tunnel collapse… Yuri tried not to think of the sleek train that Umeko was on being crushed under tons of falling rocks.

"What about my family?" a frightened Aiko-chan asked. "Will they be okay?"

Umeki didn't add her voice to the questions but she looked to Yuri-sensei for a hopeful answer too.

"The best thing I can tell you is that all of your family members live in the area around the high school where I used to teach, right? Well, that region is not in a low lying area. And also, they aren't in the area's that seem to be marked for the most dangerous threat. Unless they happened to be visiting Sendai, or suddenly decided to go to the beach in March, they should all be okay." Yuri-sensei tried to inject a little humor into her explanation but with the live video of the horror playing out on all the screens behind her, the joke fell flat. She sighed and in a more comforting tone told them, "I know you want to make sure everyone is okay. But there is just no way for us to know that, until the initial emergency is over and the cell towers come back on-line. Until then, you should just put your cell phones away and hope for the best."

"But… maybe…" Aiko-chan looked at the phone in her hand hopefully.

"No, I'm sorry." Yuri held her phone up for them to see and said, "Until the initial emergency in Japan is over, these cell phones are only good for calling those of us that are here in Australia."

Aiko-chan, Suzume, and Umeki were putting their phones away when Yuri-sensei's phone suddenly started ringing in her hand. The looks she got from many of them were on the accusatory side as if they wanted to ask her if she had been lying to them or was she just stupid.

"Ah!" she cried out in shock as the thing unexpectedly came to life with urgent vibrations and sound. Believing it was a joke, she glared around at the other members of her party that were in the room, but they were looking back at her in surprise as well. Returning her gaze to the phone, it was a number she didn't recognize but she answered it with a curious, "Hello?"

"Hey! It's good to hear your voice. I just wanted to call and let you know…" The Major's voice was cut off by a hysterical Yuri.

"How! How did you call out? I just spent five minutes explaining to everyone that there won't be any cell service for a while." Yuri demanded.

"You are correct. No-one can make voice calls on the cell phones at the moment. I'm calling you on a satellite phone." The Major explained.

"A sat… does that mean that you're on-call now?" Yuri's fear that her husband would soon have to run off to do dangerous things, fought with her pride that he was one of the people that could really help in a situation like this.

"Yes. I'll probably get a recall message soon. But, don't worry about Ryan. I'm with Ryuuji's grandparents, Ami's mother, Taiga, Minori, and two maids from the Hisamitsu house. We have all of the babies with us. We are in Osaka visiting shrines and malls, and we are all okay. All of them tell me that, should I have to go, they will make sure that Ryan is in the best of care. So, tell them all for me, will you?"

"Yes… I will do that. And… be careful, will you?" Yuri begged her husband. She knew he wasn't the sort to foolishly jump headlong into things. But, she wanted to let him know that she definitely wanted him back when this was all over.

"I love you." he said before the connection ended.

Yuri took a deep breath, then told them all what he had told her.

"I wish… I could have talked to my mother." Ami said quietly as she leaned on Ryuuji.

Ryuuji glanced over at Yasuko and wondered if she was wishing the same thing. But his mother was busy comforting Aiko-chan and Umeki at the moment. Yasuko, who was all of the girl's Onee-chan, was pulling them in for hugs and in doing so, turning their faces away from the scenes of destruction and despair on all the television screens in the room.

"Where were Maya and Noto?" Hisako asked. She had noticed that their names weren't in the list of people that were in Osaka with the Major… and yet their children were. She looked at Nanako who was also wearing a puzzled expression. They were both considering asking Yuri-sensei to redial The Major's satellite phone and ask him what was going on with their friends when they were distracted by something new on the televisions.

Deena summarized the message for everyone as camera's focused on an older man in front of a microphone. "The government of Australia is preparing several response teams that… might be leaving in the next several days."

"Might be?" Hisako was stunned. Considering all the devastation that was being broadcast, she didn't understand that qualifier at all. Aghast, she asked, "Why aren't they leaving now?"

"They can't… for a couple of reasons." Deena explained, "First, they have to get the right equipment and the right people together. But more importantly… they need permission."

"Permission? Didn't that man just give permission?" Ami asked.

"Not from _our_ government. They need to get permission from _Japan_." Deena said.

"What?" Hisako thought this all sounded like lunacy. How could any country absorb that much damage and not accept help?

Deena thought about leaving that question unanswered for a moment. In this time of tragedy, she didn't want to hit her friends with any additional negativity. At the same time, they deserved to know the truth about something so important. And, if there was one facet of Japanese culture that Deena didn't care for, it was the way the government was always trying to ignore the ugly parts of their own history. So, she took a deep breath and faced Hisako.

"About fifteen years ago, Japan got hit with a pretty bad earthquake in the Kobe area. We were all a lot younger back then, but I still remember it. There was… a lot of damage. Soon after it happened, Australia… and a lot of other countries, offered help… but Japan declined. At the time, they said that the language barrier would just get in the way of the relief work. So they did it all themselves. It took a lot longer that way, and a lot of people suffered that might have otherwise been helped. So, the rest of the world could only sit and watch." Deena said sadly. She knew this would come as a shock to them. That information wasn't widely talked about inside Japan.

Ami was the only one of the group that wasn't shocked at what Deena told them. At the time of the Kobe earthquake, her mother was a rising star of film and stage, so she had a lot of foreign contacts, and was accustomed to traveling abroad. She knew first hand how Japan's refusal to accept any help had seemed like a slap in the face to the international community.

"They… they should go anyway!" Hisako objected angrily.

"Hisako-san, please believe me when I tell you that I feel the same way." Deena explained, "But when a foreign nation shows up, uninvited, on the shores of your country… they call that an _act of war_."

"But…" Hisako wanted somewhere to vent her anger. Her frustration only grew as the live pictures of devastation and suffering streamed into the many televisions in front of her.

"Don't worry, Hisako." Ami sounded fairly confident, "It will be different this time. The government back then got blasted on how poorly they handled that disaster. I don't think today's Diet will make the same mistake."

.

 **Friday late afternoon, March 11th – Yamagata, Japan**

* * *

The airport at Yamagata was crowded with more airplanes than it had seen in a long time. Somewhere between lawyers offices, government buildings, and the airport tower, there would be long arguments over whether any of these inbound flights should be logged as Emergency Landings or not. But such trivialities were not the concern of Noto at the moment. For now, the most important thing on Noto's mind was finding a cab. But that appeared to be impossible. Theirs had not been the first airplane to land and the line looked to be several hours long.

"Shinako-san, you can drive a car – can't you?" Noto asked as the sign that pointed the way to the car rental area, caught his eye.

"Yes, Noto-sama." Shinako grabbed her bag, anticipating what Noto had in mind. However, she thought that the car rental avenue would be fairly hopeless as well. With this many people clamoring for ground transportation, there weren't likely to be any rental cars available either.

.

Shinako regretted her prediction since it was unfortunately, dead-on. There was an unmoving line at each car rental place and the employees were doing everything they could to call in additional cars from their remote sites. Shinako wondered if Noto would give up and want to head back to stand in one of the long lines for a bus or a cab. Their lines were significantly longer, but they were moving faster.

However, Noto had another idea. He noticed a group of motorcyclists that had stopped next to the little park that bordered the airplane taxiway. It looked like they were taking the opportunity to get a few pictures of the unusual activity around the airport. Noto had to admit that it was a fairly remarkable sight. The little airport at Yamagata was set up to accept large airplanes, but not many of them. It only had two ramps to service the larger airplanes, but there were several times that many parked in the limited space available on the airport's small tarmac now. But that wasn't what Noto was looking at now. He was noticing something about the collection of parked motorcycles.

"Tourists!" Noto said as he grabbed his bag and took off at a run for the little park.

"Noto-kun!" Shinako called after her younger cousin as she picked up her bags and followed after him. She didn't really want to leave the warm comfort of the airport terminal building and rush out into the cold air under a gray sky that looked like it might start dropping snow at any moment. But, it was her duty to keep up with her cousin. Besides, seeing what his agile mind would come up with next had become… interesting. Shinako knew she couldn't keep up with his pace, but she soon figured out what his urgency was. He needed to get to the cyclists before they sped off on their motorbikes. When she caught up with him, he was indeed talking with the cyclists.

"Shinako-san, do you know how to ride a motorcycle?" Noto asked as she made it to his side.

"No… Noto-sama. That is a skill… I have never learned." Shinako admitted while still panting to catch her breath.

"Me neither." Noto said with a tone of regret, but not defeat.

A few of the cyclists snickered at the young man's deficiency.

"I am guessing that two of you are from the area and the others are visiting." Noto asked the small group.

"Y… yes. How did you know that?" one of the cyclists asked for all of them that seemed puzzled.

"Two of the motorcycles are smaller and older, while the larger bikes look newer and… all the same brand. I'm guessing that they are rentals?" Noto asked.

"That's right. We are supposed to go back today but…" the man gestured at the airport that seemed unusually crowded with large airplanes. The crowding wasn't the problem though. The real problem was that many airplanes were landing, but none were taking off again… at least not yet.

"All right. For now, I need a place to stay for Shi… me and my cousin. Preferably, a place that has a phone that I can use." Noto told the bikers.

"My sister runs a bathhouse with some boarding rooms over it. She normally rents to kids going to the nearby high school, but since it's between school years, she might have some empty rooms available. What's the deal though? Why is everyone freaking out? My phone said it was just an eight-point-four somewhere off-shore." the tall girl standing next to one of the smaller motorcycles asked.

"And why should we give you a ride? You can wait in line for a cab just like everyone else." an older cyclist in a red riding suit asked.

"Our plane circled over the Sendai airport before we landed here. It is covered in water and mud now. There was a tsunami that resulted from that off-shore earthquake. We saw the wave of water flooding the airport, before our plane went back up into the clouds." Noto told them.

"I… I have friends in Sendai!" another cyclist exclaimed.

"If you are religious, you might want to say a prayer for them. From what I saw, the people in Sendai… and probably every coastal town in northern Honshu – have just been hurt pretty bad. They are going to need all the prayers and friends they can get." Noto told them.

"What are _you_ gonna do?" the cyclist next to the other older bike asked Noto after working his way through the shock of the news he had just heard.

"I am Noto of the Hisamitsu family. Within one day of Sendai, I have three teams of heavy construction equipment and workers. I need to get in touch with the regional government, or whoever is running the disaster response, and ask them how we can be of help."

"Climb on." the cyclist in the red riding suit said as he started his bike.

.

A few minutes later, they were at the bath house. As a hotel, it could hardly be called a one star accommodation, but it wasn't really a hotel. The young woman behind the desk looked frantic as Noto stepped up to the counter. With all that was going on, she was definitely out of her element.

"Sis, they need some rooms." the tall girl in the motorcycle riding gear told the frantic girl behind the counter.

"I… I only have one left." the landlady said apologetically.

"That... will... be... fine." Noto said through chattering teeth while rubbing his hands to get feeling back into them. He had discovered quickly that riding a motorcycle in February without the proper gear, can be painful.

"Noto-sama?" Shinako looked at him curiously.

"Let's not turn this into a cliché anime scene. With all the chaos going on around us, sharing a room with between us is hardly something to be overly concerned about." Noto said.

"No, it's not that. I was just noticing that all the cyclists are leaving. What are we going to do for transportation?" Shinako said.

"Ah… well." Noto turned to see that the last of the cyclists were putting their helmets back on and getting ready to leave. Noto considered all of his options and what trials the environment would likely have for him. "I'll know more after I get in contact with the construction teams. But for now… assume that we might need to learn how to ride motorcycles… rapidly."

.

 **Friday late afternoon, March 11th – Osaka, Japan**

* * *

Obāsama was waiting for Maya to finish her session with the doctor, when she heard her phone ping. Looking at the screen, she saw the icon that indicated that she could make voice calls again. And, there were several messages awaiting her attention. The first few messages were from Noto's friend Ryuuji and were timestamped soon after the tsunami warning had gone out. Then there were quite a few more messages from Hisako and Nanako, and finally a few from the two maids that she had sent along with The Major to look after her great grandchildren. Of course, the group in Australia would be able to send messages since they were far away from the disaster zone, but she wondered how her maids had been able to send her messages. In any event, she would answer the messages as she had received them. Obāsama smiled that her grandson's friends were so reliable, as she opened each message and began her responses. However, she had only just sent the first few replies when her phone started ringing.

"Hisako-chan?" Obāsama calmly asked as she answered the phone.

"Obāsama! Are you okay? How are Noto and Maya? How are the babies?" Hisako seemed uncharacteristically agitated and panicky. There had been stories about Hisako slapping sense into Ryuuji when he was being an idiot, but this sounded like something different.

"Calmly, Hisako-chan. Even though we may not be blood related, your position in this household reflects the appearance and responsibility of a family member. Remember that you represent the Hisamitsu family in everything you do. Your actions, your words, and your decisions should be tempered with that discernment. Now, take a deep breath and greet me properly." Obāsama counseled the flummoxed model.

Hisako wasn't an idiot. She was thrilled with the chastisement she had just received. She knew that, if things had really gone to hell there, Obāsama wouldn't have taken the time to ask her to reflect and correct. The fact that she did, meant that nothing terrible had happened… at least not to her immediate family.

"G… good afternoon, Obāsama." Hisako said after a deep breath.

"Good afternoon, Hisako-chan." Obāsama replied.

"My apologies for my previous discourtesy." Hisako appealed.

"Not at all. You are very far away, and your concern for your friends here is very pleasing to me." Obāsama countered.

"We got a message from The Major earlier that he and everyone in his party were okay. Interestingly, he didn't mention that Maya, Noto, or Shinako were with him. Unfortunately, we were disconnected before we could ask any questions. So, by any chance, are they with you?" Hisako asked.

"Maya is with me. We are also in Osaka, but we are at a medical facility for a scheduled appointment. Noto and Shinako were on a flight to Sendai, but they assuredly got diverted somewhere else. There have been several news shots of the Sendai airport and there are no airplanes there now. I have not heard from either of them yet, so if you hear anything, please send me a message." Obāsama said.

"I'll do that." Hisako promised, then added, "Ah, from the conversation with The Major, it sounds like he is anticipating a recall from his military – to aid in the disaster response."

"As expected of someone with his abilities." Obāsama commented, "Thank you, Hisako-chan."

"Should we… hurry home?" Hisako offered.

"I don't think you can. Air traffic may be a mess here in Japan for a few days. After that… we'll see." Obāsama would like the comfort of having Hisako and Nanako near by, but she also knew how much the tall girl had been looking forward to this modeling job, and what it would mean to her career. To walk away from that now… the guilt of doing that to dear Hisako would be too much to bear.

"I can be on the earliest flight." Hisako insisted.

"No, Hisako. Just stay there where I know you're safe… for now. In the coming weeks and months, Noto and I may be in need of your support. But there isn't anything for you to do just yet." Obāsama gently declined Hisako's earnest offer.

"Yes, Obāsama. And… thank you." Hisako said before their farewell.

Obāsama would like to have talked longer, but she also needed to contact the maids to find out how her great-grandchildren were doing.

"Was that Hisako?" Maya asked. She had just been released from her consultation and was ready to go.

"It was. She is concerned about us, of course." Obāsama switched gears as she thumbed down to the emails that had come in and began reading them. At the same time, she asked Maya, "How did your visit go?"

"Oh… he gave me some medication because he said I am sleep depraved." Maya said as her weary mind tried to remember everything the doctor had told her.

"I think you mean sleep deprived." Obāsama suggested with a little smile.

"Oh yes… that." Maya was too tired to understand her gaffe. Trying to relay what the doctor told her before she forgot everything, she continued, "I can't breastfeed while I'm on this medication, so… I guess I've blown that."

"You haven't blown anything." Obāsama said sternly. Then, trying to change the mood of the conversation, she asked Maya, "When are you supposed to take that medication?"

"As soon as I get to a place where I can sleep for eight hours." Maya repeated the doctor's instructions to the older woman.

"Well, we're in luck. According to these emails, Kawashima-san has secured a couple of rooms at a hotel on the assumption that the trains and ferries might be down for a while." Obāsama relayed after reading one of the accumulated emails.

"Ami?" Maya sounded confused. Although thoughtful, it seemed very unlikely that Ami would rent a couple of rooms in Osaka when she was in Australia.

"Anna." Obāsama clarified.

"Oh… yeah." Maya had forgotten that Ami's mother was with them. She shook her head to clear the cobwebs and slapped her cheeks.

"Let's get moving." Obāsama said as she stood up and collected her coat and purse from the next chair. "If we can't get a taxi, it will be a long walk to that hotel. But, once we're there, you can finally get that sleep you need. How does that sound?"

"It sounds wonderful." Maya gave a lopsided smile. She desperately hoped for a peaceful dreamless sleep. And yet, even as she clutched the bottle of medication in her hand, she already started thinking about the weakness in the plan. Even if the sleep were to be deep and very restful, the real problem would still be there when she awoke from that nice sleep. The feeling of detachment she had with her own daughters would still plague her on the other side of that sleep.

 _I have no right to feel sorry for myself when so many other people are facing real hardships now._ Maya berated herself when she thought about the calamity that was affecting so many people. But that recriminating thought only made her feel worse about herself. _I am… a terrible person._

Leaning on Obāsama, Maya walked along the streets of Osaka in her half-awake state. Her emotional state seemed to deteriorate with every step. _I should be more compassionate for the victims of this disaster. I should be able to love my daughters. What's wrong with me? Have I completely lost my humanity? Why can't I care? Why can't I even love… my own… daughters?_

The sorrow.

The guilt.

 _Maybe it will be better if I just… don't wake up._

.

* * *

.

 **Glossary**

 **Aomori** – The northernmost city on the main island of Honshu where the bullet train stops, before it dives into the undersea tunnel to connect to the next island (Hokkaido).

 **D** **iet** – Japan's legislature, composed of a "House of Representatives," and a "House of Councilors."

 **Hinamatsuri** – "Girl's Day" or "Day of the Dolls." It is celebrated March 3rd of every year until the girl is ten years old.

 **Obāsama** \- "grandmother" said very respectfully. In the story, this title is specifically used for Hisamitsu Noto's grandmother.

 **Obāsa** **n** \- "grandmother" said normally. In the story so far, this title is often used for Ami's mother and Ryuuji's grandmother, but not for Yasuko.

 **Osaka** – A city west of Tokyo on a bay that connects to the Pacific Ocean. It is also close to the smaller island of Shikoku, which is where the prefecture of Tokushima can be found.

 **Sendai** – A city north of Tokyo along the Pacific coast and about halfway to the northern tip of the main island of Honshu. Of

 **Shichi-go-san** – The "7-5-3" festival for seven and three year old girls and for five year old boys. Held on November 15th of every year.


	7. Chapter 7 - Darkest Before The Dawn

**Fri** **day** **early evening** **, March** **11** **th –** **Shinkansen tunnel**

* * *

Umeko finally got through on the emergency phone and heard the details of what was happening in the rest of Japan. The western half of the country hardly had any effects at all, but that was not the case for the east coast of the main island of Honshu. A tsunami was created from the offshore earthquake which raised the sea level and swept through many of the coastal towns and rural areas. Whole communities had been simply washed away. There were expectations that tens of thousands of people would be homeless tonight. Thousands were missing, and – so far, the confirmed death toll was in the hundreds. It would be remembered as the worst natural disaster to hit Japan in modern times. As tedious as it was to be stuck in a train in a tunnel, the passengers of that Shinkansen were faring far better then many others. And, it wasn't just their train. Other bullet trains and commuter trains from Tokyo to the northern tip of the island had been shut down. Millions of people in the heart of Tokyo had homes that were unaffected by the tragedy, but they had no way to get home. And it hadn't been just the trains. Airplanes had been diverted, and many cargo and ferry ships had to find other ports since theirs were damaged… or gone.

In the tunnel though, Umeko had been told to wait for assistance. But there wasn't even a guess as to when that assistance would arrive.

"What should we tell the passengers?" the attendant with the medical training had come back and reported to Umeko that all was well in the other cars. A few people were anxious from the situation, but there were no physical injuries at all. Now she was back on the Super Green Car with her comrades and had just heard Umeko's report.

"Can we tell them that? It might cause a panic." the second attendant worried.

"No, I don't think it will. There may be a few tourists on the train, but most of the passengers are Japanese. And we Japanese know what it's like to live in a country _blessed_ with typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis – right?"

The camaraderie of her statement made her companions smile and mentally get themselves ready for whatever tasks awaited them.

"Inform the passengers. Make them as comfortable as possible. But most of all, see to their safety." Umeko said. All she was really doing was paraphrasing the company's guidelines, but her kohai's acknowledged the mission she had given them with eager determination.

"Right!" all three of them quietly cheered before breaking up their little huddle and setting themselves to their tasks. Umeko was proud of the impressive safety record of the Shinkansen, and she vowed that she, and her small team, would do their part to keep that record impressive.

.

 **Friday evening, March 11th – Yamagata, Japan**

* * *

Inside the bathhouse now, Noto saw the room that he and his cousin had rented very briefly. Only there long enough to put his bags down, he noticed that it was small and there was only a toilet and a sink. Apparently the students that rented here were expected to use the bathhouse on the first floor for the rest of their hygienic needs. The elderly woman that took care of the place let him use her telephone when he explained what he wanted to do. However, just as he was about to make his first call, his cell phone beeped and he got the symbols that told him he had his cell service again.

"Noto-sama!" Shinako came running into the small office with her phone in her hand.

"I see. That was faster than I anticipated." Noto thought about what this meant for the next several actions he should make. He hoped that it might be an indication that the damage wasn't as bad as he feared, but the memory of seeing all that water flooding the Sendai airport gave him doubts. _It could just be that the cell network is more robust than I had thought._

"See if you can call the Sendai unit that was heading back to Tokushima. Find out if they are all okay, then have them turn around and head here at the best speed they can make." Noto told his elder cousin.

"Are you sure?" Shinako knew that having that unit return would mean that he was abandoning his plans to build the retirement resort with Yamada-san. Noto would be making a big gamble, and she wondered if they should talk it over with Obāsama first.

"I am certain." Noto told her grimly, "If the damage is as bad as I think… Japan is going to have much more need of reconstruction and recovery than another vacation spot." Noto said grimly.

"But… the promises and plans you made with Yamada-san?" Shinako wanted to warn him about the danger of getting his reputation off to a bad start. It would be easy for his detractors and critics to make the rumors stick - that Noto was a promise-breaker. They would say that his word meant nothing, and he could not be trusted. And it would be an unwanted and undeserved legacy he would have to fight for the rest of his life.

"I will call Yamada-san and apologize to her personally. But I can't… I just can't walk away from this. If there is something I can do to help all of these people, I have to try." Noto said firmly.

"I see. It is a difficult decision." Shinako wanted Noto to be wrong about how dire the situation was, because if he was right - that would mean that much of Japan's infrastructure had been grievously damaged, and… there would be a huge amount of human suffering. At the same time, his decisions at the moment could save the Hisamitsu heavy construction companies if he was right… even if it damaged his reputation in the process. With mixed feelings, she dialed up the construction manager that should be with that convoy and hoped that cell service was restored in whatever part of Japan he was in at the moment. As the phone started to ring, she could hear Noto making the first of many calls. Regrettably but necessarily, this first one would be… an apology.

.

"Hello, this is Hisamitsu Noto. May I speak to Yamada Yukiko?" Noto asked as soon as someone answered the phone.

"I'm sorry, she isn't available at the moment. May I… Hisamitsu Noto? Aren't you the _Noto-kun_ that is one of Ryuuji-san's friends?" a feminine voice asked.

"Um, yes. But this call is actually a business call." Noto tried to place the woman's voice but couldn't.

"Ah, this is Yukiko's sister, Natsuko. We met briefly, but I have heard lot's of stories about you and your friends from onee-chan. Is there something I can do for you?" Natsuko asked politely, but she sounded like she was very busy with her own problems.

"Perhaps there is." Noto thought through what little he knew about the Yamada sisters. He remembered a few stories about them. Like his own, their family was an old one, but unlike his, it was still quite powerful in the business of hotel and restaurant management. Currently, the daughters of the head of the family had been pitted against each other in a _battle_ _royale_ to determine who would head up the family after their father retired. After meeting Ryuuji, Ami, and most importantly - Ryuuji's mother, Yukiko had reached out to her two younger sisters who had already failed their trials – and brought them in to work with her. If he remembered the stories correctly, it was the first time the siblings had ever been like sisters to each other – and all three of them liked that change. _But I have to make sure that I am talking to one of the sister's that supports Yukiko and not one of her rivals._ Noto tried to think of a test to determine if she was a loyal sister. _Onee-chan… she called Yukiko, onee-chan._ _She has to be one of the trusted little sisters! I'm sure of it now._

"Natsuko-san… I'll try and make this quick. Yukiko-san and I came to an agreement about making a resort in Tokushima. I was supposed to get construction started on it immediately… but I just can't pull the units away from Sendai now. Not after what has happened there. I have to see if there is something I can do to help." Noto apologized by way of explanation.

"Noto-kun… I'm not sure what you were working on with onee-chan, but please do not concern yourself with that, at a time like this." Natsuko told him. Then she asked, "Are you in a place where you can watch a television broadcast?"

"I am in Yamagata at the moment… I believe there is a television in the common lounge, but… why?" Noto thought the question was a bit of a non-sequitur.

"You should keep an eye on it. The earthquake damage wasn't so bad, but the devastation caused by the tsunami was far worse than anyone had anticipated. They are saying that there may be a hundred thousand people homeless tonight." she relayed the sad news to him.

"A hundred thousand!" Noto gasped. He knew the Sendai airport had been badly flooded, but the airplane had gone back up into the clouds before he could see much else. The news from Natsuko had been startling, but if anything, it helped him to galvanize his resolve to help in the recovery efforts.

"Noto-kun… that's not the worst of it. A few minutes ago, the government declared an emergency for the Fukushima nuclear power plant. There isn't a lot of information on what is going wrong, but witnesses said that the tsunami spilled over the seawall there… as if it were no more than a child's sandcastle." Natsuko told him as calmly as she could.

"Oh… no." He had always thought it strange that so many nuclear power plants were built so close to the ocean, when Japan was a country of typhoons and earthquakes. He had never considered the damage that a tsunami could do, but it looked like he wasn't the only one that had made that oversight.

"I'm sorry that Onee-chan isn't here to tell you anything, but… she did leave me in charge when she left and… Well… if you are going to do whatever you can to help all those people, I will release you from any agreement Onee-chan made with you." Natsuko believed in what she was saying – she only hoped that Yukiko would see it the same way.

"Let's not say release." Noto offered, "Let's say… postponed."

"Postponed?" Natsuko considered the word.

"Yes. I will have my people do what they can in Sendai… and wherever else they may be needed. Then, when the emergency is over, I would like to get back to what Yukiko-san and I talked about." Noto said with a calm assurance. He could hear the panic building in Natsuko's voice and he was certain now that she was one of the trusted imouto's. He also knew that she was older than him, but right now he felt like he was trying to calm down a younger sister of his own.

"Okay… I think… I think Onee-chan would like that." Natsuko said to Noto, although it was an effort to convince herself more than him.

"I'm sure that she will. But if she is displeased, you can tell her to call me. I will take full responsibility for it." Noto promised.

"Thank you. Thank you very much, Noto...sama." Natsuko felt an immense weight fall from her shoulders when Noto offered to take responsibility.

"Are you going to be okay?" Noto asked, but there was nothing he could do for her other than listen to her talk… and he really didn't have the time for that now.

"I am now. But I have kept you far too long. We both have emergencies to see to, do we not?" Natsuko said as she mentally pulled herself together.

"Farewell then, and please give my regards to your sister." Noto felt relief from hearing the voice on the other end of the phone shed an unnecessary fear, and also rediscover her strength.

"Of course. Bye bye." Natsuko said as she hung up the phone. Then she turned to see the youngest Yamada sister enter the room with a notebook computer.

"Who was that on the phone?" Haruko asked.

"Takasu Ryuuji's friend, Noto." Natsuko said with a little smile.

"I'm not sure I remember him. What's he like?" Haruko asked absently.

"He's two meters tall, wears armor, and he rides a big white horse." Natsuko said through her growing smile.

"Huh?" Haruko was about to say that she was pretty sure she would remember someone like that. But something about the goofy grin on her sister's face told her that the description might have been embellished just a tad.

"Never-mind. Any word from Onee-chan?" Natsuko asked.

"No… I haven't heard from her since before the earthquake and that was… more than six hours ago." Haruko said worriedly. This was a new experience. As the youngest daughter of a dynastic family that believed in pitting their children against each other to see which one was worthy of inheritance, she had only ever feared or hated her sisters. But that had changed recently and the two that were closest in age to her, were now closer to her than she had been to any family member in her entire life. "I hope she is okay."

"I'm sure she is. But, until she gets back – we keep going as if she's just stepped away. Got it?" Natsuko challenged her younger sister's spirit and resolve… as well as her own.

"Yes!" Haruko accepted the challenge and went back to her notebook to see what the latest issue was.

.

Meanwhile, Noto had already begun the process of integrating his family business into the rescue and recovery efforts. Or, at the least, he was starting the process to make that happen. He had dragged Shinako out of the small office so they could see the old television in the little lounge. That didn't stop him from making his phone calls though.

"Hello, I am Hisamitsu Noto of Hisamitsu Heavy Construction. I can have three teams in the Sendai area within twenty-four hours. May I speak to your disaster response coordinator to see how my teams can best be used?" Noto explained his offer to one person – who put him on hold, then transferred him. Of course, he had to explain it all again to the next person, and the next. Sometimes, he didn't get a transfer but a list of phone numbers to try, and he would have to start all over again. Finally he got to someone who knew what to do. They had questions about his teams and he answered them to the best of his ability.

Shinako had given Noto's instructions to the Sendai team and followed that up by calling the other two to let them know that there would obviously be a change of plans. One of the other people who had rented a room looked at Noto and Shinako with disgust as they talked on their phones while others were watching the small television for the latest developments and news releases. Noto was concentrating on his conversation too much to notice, but Shinako did. And Shinako knew how to deal with this kind of situation.

Intentionally standing in front of the old television she looked at the people who were staring and glaring back at her. Some were angry. Others were terrified at what they had been watching on the small screen. Everyone was saddened.

"May I assume that none of you planned on coming here at the beginning of this day?" Shinako asked. There was no reply. Even the angry ones were too stunned to say anything. "The question you have to ask yourself now is, what will you say in the years that come?"

They still looked back at her blankly.

"When a terrible destruction made so many people miserable and there was so much suffering, will you tell your family… your children… that you holed up in a bathhouse until it was all over? Will you have to admit that you let other people deal with it because you couldn't be bothered? Or will you be able to tell them that you did something useful?"

"But… what can we do?" one of the angry ones asked.

"That young man over there is Hisamitsu Noto of the noble Hisamitsu family. He is doing what he can to get his family's heavy construction units into the places that have been destroyed. He is hoping that they can help in some way." She let that sink in for a moment. The goal wasn't to impress them or make them feel inadequate, but to refocus their emotions. "If you don't feel that there is something you can do directly, then perhaps, you can help him. There is honor in helping those that _can_ do something, after all."

"How? How can we help him?" the same angry person asked… and sounded a bit less angry now as well. Perhaps his voice sounded even a bit… hopeful.

"Everyone has their strengths and there is much to do." Shinako looked around the room at all the expectant faces, "This will probably end up being a very long night. If anyone knows how to cook or make coffee…"

"I can do that!" two older women who looked like they were traveling with each other said in unison.

"Then, please inquire of the proprietress if we can use any facilities. I will leave the execution up to you." Shinako smiled as they both got up and hurried for the door.

"Calls need to be made. I have noticed that Noto-sama has been making a list and keeping many notes. After he finishes this call, I will ask him if others can help him with these calls. Is there anyone who thinks they can help with that?" Shinako asked politely.

"Yeah… I am a salesman. I'm used to making lots of calls." one of the younger men said.

"I used to run my own business. I can do that too." an older man offered.

"All right. I was hoping for more, but everything we can get is good. Now the next thing…" Shinako proceeded to find peoples' skills and abilities and assign tasks. By the time she was done, everyone had _something_ to do.

Noto watched with growing interest while his elder cousin transformed a tense and depressed room into one of hope and lively energy – and he was amazed. Before she was finished assigning tasks to the last few guests, one of the elderly women set a hot cup of coffee down at his elbow. He nodded to her appreciatively then turned and admiring gaze on his cousin as he thought to himself, _I really want to learn how to do that!_

For her part, Shinako never gave her complete attention to the other people in the room. No matter what else she was involved in, she kept an eye on her younger cousin and was impressed. She had worried that such a catastrophic event would overwhelm someone so young, but it didn't seem to slow him down at all. Indeed, with so much happening in the world and so much chaos, he didn't seem go be willing to give in to panic or fear. A memory came to Shinako, of watching some long distance runners completing another lap and shouting out, _Fight On!_ That seemed to be Noto in a nutshell. He was fighting on… even thought the road wound through unfamiliar places and he didn't know if he could finish this race. Still he would _Fight On!_ _He shows such incredible fortitude for such a young man._

Then again, even though he was young – he had been through a lot before he had even made it out of high school. Noto had kept his head in the disastrous vacation of sunburns and snakes. Coming right out of that, The Major had pressed him into service as a translator for the emergency teams that were there to help with the landslide and flood victims. Add to that, a pandemic and an attempt to murder him… all before he had graduated from high school. _Yes Noto-sama, I believe you will be able to weather this storm._ _And, if the gods are willing, let us see what kind of a fine man you will become!_

.

 **Friday night, March 11th – Osaka, Japan**

* * *

The Major had left for the airport where a flight would be taking him, and a number of other recalled personnel to the Air Force base near Tokyo. From there, they would have further orders for him to help with rescue, and then with recovery. For a natural disaster as devastating as this, there would be a long recovery period. But he already knew that he wouldn't be involved in all of it. As bad as it was, Japan was a country that was used to big natural disasters. They may need some help now, but they would be back on their feet sooner than anyone would anticipate… as long as nothing _else_ went wrong.

In the meantime, with his wife out of the country, he had to leave his six month old son in the hands of friends. But he and his wife had every confidence in those friends. Even Taiga, who he had known the least amount of time, seemed to be someone dependable. She even struck him as a person who would laugh in the face of adversity. His smile went sideways when he realized that she might actually go a little overboard with the laughter… and the manner in which she dealt with that adversity. In truth, she wasn't the one he was most concerned about though. Noto's wife, and the mother of their precious little twin girls… was not doing well. Maya had looked like a zombie stumbling through life for the last several days, and that had been a hard thing to watch. He had seen her in a pretty bad state before though. The first time he met her, she was covered from head to toes in a sunburn that was so bad, it would require hospitalization for burn therapy. Add to that the fact that she hadn't slept for several days, and she was grieving because she thought her best friend was going to die. Yes… her friend had eventually healed, but those problems had been physical or external to Maya. What she had to deal with now was an aberration of her own mind. It was something that had no physical component at all, although the pain it caused her was far worse than the sunburns had ever been.

But her family was doing the right thing. They were getting her help and they were all there to support her. It wasn't a guaranteed solution, but it was the best anyone could do for what ailed the young mother. However, all of that was now in the hands of other people for the moment. The Major had to concentrate his energies on the issues at hand. Fortunately, he already had an idea of what he would be doing soon. Some of the best search and rescue teams on the planet were already on their way to Japan. Not repeating the mistakes of the past, Japan welcomed assistance with this tragic natural disaster. It would take some time for many of them to get there, but he would soon be working with many of the SAR teams from around the world. The teams arriving first would be from South Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore, The Philippines, and Australia. Due to their proximity to Japan, many of these teams would have their own linguists to speak Japanese. But the next set of teams would be arriving from much farther away. Other than his home country and it's neighbors, Mexico and Canada, he was looking forward to seeing the teams from England, Germany, and Italy arrive. The Italians would be especially welcome. Their recent heroic efforts in earthquake shaken areas around the Mediterranean and South Asia were well known in Japan. And right about now, Japan could use a few heroes.

.

 **Friday night, March 11th – Melbourne, Australia**

* * *

"I want to go home!" Suzume was distraught. Of all the people traveling with Ryuuji and Ami, she was the only one who had not been able to get in touch with her family back home. Not that everyone else heard good news from the calls that they received though. Nanako's mother was okay, but she was one of the millions of people who were stranded in Tokyo since none of the trains were running. Power was intermittent and it was a cold night in Japan. But Suzume wouldn't have minded hearing her sister complain about how bad it was… as long as she could hear from her. And that was the problem. All of Suzume's calls went to voice mail until it was full. And _that_ could only mean that her onee-chan was unable to check her own messages. In her anguish, Suzume started to pack her suitcase to leave. Going home and finding her sister had become Suzume's only focus. Umeki tried to stop her by telling her that there were no flights going to Japan now, but she was beyond reason. Even at her best friend, she fussed, "I want to go home!"

"No, Suzume." Ryuuji said as he put his hands over hers and stopped her from grabbing a wad of clothing and shoving it into her already overstuffed bag.

"I want to go home!" Suzume demanded angrily as she looked up into his face. The face that could scare people into flight. The face that she had come to know and respect as a person who genuinely cared. But now, all she could see was another obstacle in the way of letting her go to see her sister.

"No." Ryuuji said softly. He was about to tell her why when he felt the sting of her hand across his face.

 _SLAP!_

Ryuuji was stunned that she had actually hit him and almost didn't move in time to stop Suzume from getting pommeled by a furious Ami.

"No! Don't hit her." Ryuuji quickly pulled the frightened high school girl into a grapple that pinned her arms against her body so she couldn't lash out again. "We can't have any bruises."

"I want to find my sister. I want to go home!" Suzume sobbed as she gave up her struggling to try and get away from him. Without turning to face Ryuuji, she caustically accused, "You… you don't even care about me. You only care how I look."

"As your manager… of course that's what I care about. But as your friend, I also need you to be unbruised." Ryuuji said loud enough for all of them to hear.

"Huh… why?" Suzume asked. She hadn't expected him to admit something like that, and she was a little stunned.

"I've been talking to Ami's uncle at the talent agency. And you guys… you've been watching the news reports. So, you know how bad it is there. Over a million people are stranded in Tokyo because the trains aren't running. Family members can't find each other. It's still winter in Japan, and over a hundred thousand people are now homeless. Tonight, Japan is in pain." Ryuuji ran down what all of them knew so far about the tragedy back home.

"I know all of that." Suzume started to struggle again and yelled, "That's why I want to go home."

"And then what?" Ryuuji asked her.

"Find onee-chan!" Suzume sobbed as she answered.

"How will you find her?" Ryuuji asked.

"I… I don't know." Suzume admitted.

"Where will you look?" Ryuuji asked another impossible question.

"Everywhere, I'll look everywhere!" Suzume screamed through her tears as she struggled against Ryuuji's strong arms.

"That's a lot of places to look. And while you're looking in all those places, you will be a problem for the people trying to do their emergency work. And if Umeko-san gets back to her apartment and calls us to let us know she is okay – and we have to tell her that you are foolishly running all over Japan looking for her… how will she take that? How will that make her feel?"

Suzume's struggles ended suddenly. She became limp in Ryuuji's arms as she gave up her fight. She felt completely defeated and could only sob after his words left her feeling helpless and despairing. But she wasn't the only one. Others in the room felt their own uselessness in the face of such a disaster.

"Ryuuji…" Ami was about to tell him that he had gone too far. He hadn't just stopped her little rant, those words could turn them all into emotional wrecks.

"This feeling you all feel now. You all hate it, don't you?" Ryuuji asked the group while relaxing his grip on Suzume.

"Baka! Of course we do." Hisako was about to slap Ryuuji herself. His words had hurt her but more importantly, even Nanako had lost her enigmatic smile.

"What if I told you that there is something you can do about it?" Ryuuji offered. He looked around to see sad expressions change to ones of surprise and the beginnings of hope.

"What… what do you have in mind?" Ami knew he had been on the phone with her uncle for quite a while and was starting to think that they had talked about more than just the situation back home.

"What I'm about to suggest… will be difficult. It will be exhausting work and you might end up hating it… a lot." Ryuuji warned them.

"Tell us, fool!" Hisako demanded.

Ryuuji knew he could count on Hisako to go full tilt for any crazy plan he threw out, but he was worried about the others. None of the others, even his Ami, were as hard-core as Hisako when it came to completely throwing themselves into something. And that was the level of involvement that this would require. He wanted to caution them that, if they decided to do this, there was no half-way or partial commitment. It would be _all the way_ or _nothing at all_. But their faces told him that he didn't have to give them that warning. They were almost as eager as Hisako… even little Aiko-chan looked like she was ready for a fight.

"All right then… Apparently, Melbourne has a strong reputation as a music city. They have live shows all over the city every night. A lot of them are small, but some are pretty big." Ryuuji told them.

"So what are you suggesting… that we go put on a show while people back home are suffering?" Suzume sounded shocked and disgusted at the idea of having fun at a time like this.

"No… well… actually, yes." Ryuuji explained, "We have been invited to participate in some _aid_ and _benefit_ concerts. They are being set up to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis that is happening back home. The hope is that it will encourage millions of people… and even governments, to do what they can to help."

"This sounds like a pretty good thing to do." Yasuko said hopefully.

"I think it's an incredible opportunity." Yuri supported Ryuuji's idea by telling them, "Right now there are people all over Japan that would like to do something to help, but can't. Either they don't have the resources or they're too far away from the problem areas. But you girls… you could really make a difference here… and now."

"It's… not just _the girls_." Ryuuji warned his former teacher… and the others.

"Huh?" Yuri turned to see that Ryuuji was again trying to tell them something difficult.

"People here in Australia… and even some people back in Japan that saw the broadcast… Well, they think we are all part of the show." Ryuuji began.

"What?" Yuri felt the chill of panic starting to work its way into her mind.

"There were a lot of positive comments on Yasuko and Yuri-sensei's… comic performances." Ryuuji looked away from the frightened stare coming from his stunned teacher.

"That wasn't a performance!" Yuri insisted.

"That's not the perception." Deena told the panicking teacher delicately, "Here in Australia at least… you two are quite popular."

"Surely, no-one will care about our participation any more though!" Yuri begged.

"You and Yasuko were _specifically_ asked for… actually." Ryuuji admitted.

"You… you're only okay with this because it's safe for you!" Yuri said accusingly.

"No… even I'm not getting out of this. It looks like I'll be dressed up in that… uh… what did you call it?" Ryuuji asked Nanako.

"The Hellivin? Really? You're going to dress up in the Hellivin again? That's wonderful! Please… please let me do your makeup?" Nanako's hands clapped together and she looked happier than he had seen her in some time.

"Make up?" Ryuuji wondered aloud.

"Oh noooo." Ami moaned quietly as she put her face in her hands.

"Even so… I don't… I don't think I can…" Yuri's panic was about to reach a fight or flight response. But before she could make an escape, she felt long arms wrap around her and a face nuzzle into her neck.

"Yuri-chan?" was all Yasuko said, but her arms pulled the frightened teacher back into the comforting warmth of her body.

"Onee-chan… I don't think I can do this." Yuri whimpered.

"You can do it, sweety. And you don't have to be scared. I'll be right there with you and we'll be just super!" Yasuko's reassuring words and enthusiasm melted the fear and doubt away from Yuri's heart as it had for Ryuuji all through his childhood.

"Promise? P...promise you'll be there with me?" Yuri put her hands on her friend's arms.

"You bet I will." Yasuko looked up at her son and gave him the smile he remembered from his youth. It was the same smile she made when she succeeded in vanquishing his fear and sadness. He had always thought those were such awful days. For much of his youth, Ryuuji didn't have any friends. At school, he had no friends and was constantly teased about his sinister looks. But the memory of his mother's love and consoling grace was something he treasured, even in the darkest times.

"I still don't know if I feel right dancing and singing when so many people are suffering so much." Suzume worried.

"We are entertainers. We're not construction workers or firemen or emergency responders. Even if we were back in Japan right now, we couldn't do much to help with those kinds of things. We can only do… what we can do." Ami said aloud. Her eyes were focused on the lights of the city beyond their hotel window. She felt cold and alone in a way that she hadn't felt in a long time. She had an overwhelming urge to hug her infant son to her chest and hold him there until the bad feelings went away. But little Tatsuya was thousands of kilometers away with her mother and Ryuuji's grandparents. She was sure that he was safe, but she wanted to feel him in her arms nonetheless. Her reverie was broken when she felt a small hand take hers. Turning, she saw Aiko-chan looking up to her.

"Ami-senpai… I want to do what I can do." the young girl said plaintively.

"You do huh?" Ami pulled Aiko-chan into a hug and gently patted the back of the girl's head like she would her infant son. She would like to have picked her up too, but small as she was – Aiko-chan was a little big for that.

"Yes." Aiko-chan was a little embarrassed at being held like a child at first. But a motherly hug was what she really needed now after all. Her arms instinctively wrapped around Ami as she snuggled into the hug.

"I want to do what I can do." Nanako said, and immediately hugged her tall girlfriend as she looked up into Hisako's deep purple eyes and smiled.

"I want to do what I can do too." Hisako agreed with her girlfriend. More than agreement, Hisako was proud of her unshakable and irrepressible girlfriend. Having always been _the strong girl_ , Hisako never imagined that she would end up with someone who would seem stronger than her. But far from jealous, she loved and admired Nanako more because of it. Without shame, Hisako admitted that she needed that strength in her life. And in the difficult days to come, she imagined that everyone might be needing Nanako's strength.

"Suzume?" Umeki took her friend's hands and told her, "I… I want to do what I can do too. Will you help me?"

Suzume could only nod her head. Her emotions had cascaded until she was a crying mess. Ryuuji may have been able to prevent her from being bruised earlier, but her eyes would look swollen and puffy for a while. Also embarrassed at her previous tantrum, she sagged to her knees and buried her tears in Umeki's chest.

Umeki followed Ami's example and embraced her friend while patting Suzume's red hair.

"Well Ryuuji, what are you waiting for? I believe you have your answer." Ami said to the reflection of his face in the big picture window. She dared not turn around now or everyone would see that she was as emotional as the rest of them were.

"Right." Ryuuji wasn't deceived. He may not have seen the tears running down her face, but he could tell from her voice. As stern as she had tried to make herself sound, he could make out the telltale tremor in her voice that meant she was crumbling. But he wouldn't interfere with her tough-girl facade. Instead, he turned his attention to Deena. "We need to get to work."

"Yes!" Deena yelped when the attention unexpectedly turned to her.

"Can you contact the designers that have been wanting to work with us recently? Let them know about our new plans and see if any of them want to sponsor us, provide outfits… anything." Ryuuji said.

"Yes, I can do that!" Deena pulled out her phone ready to start calling immediately.

"Wait… the same deal as before though. If they want us to wear their clothes on stage, it has to be approved by Nanako… and they have to accept any modifications she deems necessary. If they can't agree to that – no deal." Ryuuji said as bluntly and forcefully as he could… to a friend.

"Got it!" Deena turned and made her first call, but not to one of the designers. She decided that this time, she would use the contacts that had been provided. Her first call was to the lady at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Deena decided that it was time that she learned how to make the system work for her.

Next to her, Ryuuji wasn't just waiting around either. His first call was to a contact that Ami's uncle had given him. A man that would be able to get things moving for live performances. If he could sell this idea…

.

"Ami-senpai…" the little girl in her arms squeaked, "Aiko-chan can't breathe."

"Huh?" Ami realized that she was holding the girl pretty tight in her arms and relaxed her embrace somewhat. "Sorry, is that better?"

"Yes." Despite feeling like she was being crushed only a few moments ago, the young girl made no effort to leave Ami's arms. She wanted to ask for a favor that she knew would be a terrible inconvenience for Ami and Ryuuji, but after the horror of the day - she was scared to sleep alone tonight. However, her thoughts were interrupted by a voice that could send fears and worries scurrying away like shadows fleeing from the light of day.

"Ami-chan," Yasuko asked as she and Yuri-sensei moved up behind the two girls, "it's late and we should all get to bed now. And, if you don't mind… I'd like to take this little one with me."

"Yes, of course." Ami was enjoying the embrace with Aiko-chan but her mother-in-law was right. Aiko-chan was still a grade-schooler and today had been a long day. And… if Ryuuji's plans worked out, tomorrow would be a long day too. In fact, their future seemed suddenly full of long days.

"Aiko-chan," Yasuko knelt next to the girl who was reluctant to let go of her senpai, "I know you would like to be with Deena-chan tonight, but… she might be busy with Ryuuji for a while yet. So, how would you like to sleep between Yuri-sensei and me tonight? At least… until Deena-chan comes to bed. Would that be okay?"

Aiko-chan's jaw trembled as she tried to stop the tears. She knew everyone was having a tough time with the terrible news that had been on all the television stations all day and she had tried her hardest not to be a nuisance. She wanted to be grown up like all of her senpai's. But it had been so very very hard. At only ten years old, it had been too much. And now, here was Onee-chan letting her know that it was okay to have the needs of a child.

"Onee-chaaaaan!" the young girl cried as she transitioned from Ami to Yasuko. Many people in the room looked up to see why she was suddenly bawling so.

"Ryu-chan… Deena-chan, you need to remember this." Yasuko told her son and the Australian woman as she held the crying girl in her arms. "Aiko-chan is a talented and smart girl. She's a good and kind girl too. She has all of you as friends. Some of you are in high school, some in college, and some are adults. But we all need to remember that, even if she is our friend, Aiko-chan is still a very young girl. So… just be careful when you're making your plans.

"Y… Yes." Ryuuji agreed with his mother and made a mental note to scale back the aggressiveness of his plans. Since these performances all centered around Aiko-chan, there would be no down-time for her otherwise. And, he didn't want to overly stress the child.

"Thank you Onee-chan." Deena bowed. She too would be more careful when dealing with the girl. They had all become quite close to Aiko-chan, but Deena - like the others, had been quick to think of the young girl as an equal… a peer… instead of a child. Deena knew that this wasn't something to be taken lightly. There were certain needs, protections, and restrictions that went along with having a child as a friend. Some might consider that kind of companionship to be an inconvenience or even a liability, but Deena didn't mind. In fact, she saw her friendship with the little Japanese girl as one of the greatest joys that her life had ever presented her.

.

 **Friday night, March 11th – Osaka, Japan**

* * *

Unlike the trains in Tokyo, the transit system in Osaka was still working… mostly. They still had to check all the bridges and tunnels before reopening them, and they had to check all the tracks before running the local trains again. Of course, the safety checks had caused huge delays in the traffic trying to leave the city at the end of the day. Fortunately, Obāsama had anticipated that calamity and had arranged for some hotel rooms in the city for an overnight stay.

A text message from her told the rest of her party where to go, and they were soon in the warmth and comfort of a hotel suite that overlooked the gently flowing Yodo river. Because other people had come to the same conclusion, she was only able to get a single suite at the hotel, but she decided that one suite should be sufficient for a single night. Two of her household maids were with them and were taking care of the babies in one of the suite's bedrooms, while the rest of them watched the television together in the common room. The Takasu grandparents and Kawashima Anna sat on one side of Obāsama, while Taiga and Minori sat with Maya on the other side. Despite the number of people in the room, there would be no argument about what to watch though. Every channel was showing the same thing, so there was no option but to watch the horror that was unfolding in other parts of Japan.

The tidal waves were over now, but they left kilometers of land littered with debris from so much destruction. Video's were uploaded from people's telephones and other shots came from news helicopters. Some places were still on fire and much of the area was without power. Hundreds of thousands of people who had responded to the warnings and made it to higher ground, had watched in disbelief as their homes, their neighborhoods, and even the cities they had lived in – were completely wiped away. They were safe for the moment… but they faced an uncertain future with only what they had taken with them… and no home to return to.

And yet, they were the lucky ones. The number of people that were dead or missing, was rapidly rising. The number of people that couldn't find friends or family members was staggering.

Maya felt her sense of hopelessness and despair deepen as she watched the broadcast along with everyone else. Exhausted as she was, it was impossible to sleep now. One tragic scene after another spilled across the television in their hotel room and she hoped that maybe… just maybe… the next announcement would be some good news. Saddened by all the devastation that she saw, Maya didn't think she could feel any more sadness than she did just then. But she felt as if the floor dropped out from beneath her when the scene changed to a reporter on the ground who was interviewing a young woman.

The woman was filthy and looked exhausted. An emergency blanket was wrapped around her but she was shaking from the cold recent events of her life. Her eyes were reddened from all the crying and her face looked pale as if her shattered heart was no longer pumping any blood. At first, Maya thought she might be hearing the same reaction of someone who had just lost their house and everything they owned. That kind of story had played out several times by now. But this time, it was much more terrible. Along with many other people from her neighborhood, the young mother had taken her two infant children to a tall bridge to wait out the tsunami. She had been amazed when the fast moving water had risen all the way up to the street level in so little time. She had been stunned to see cars, trucks, and even houses carried along by the swift dark water where they crashed into the strong bridge supports and were reduced to debris as they passed under the bridge and came out the other side. But the water hadn't stopped rising there. Soon, both ends of the bridge had disappeared under the stream of debris mixed with dark water, and yet the level of the flood continued to rise. All of them knew then that they were doomed. There was no longer any escape from the bridge. Some people frantically started trying to climb the bridges superstructure but with her two infants, it wasn't something she could do. When the water crested the highest part of the road surface, she climbed up onto the hand railing and leaned against one of the bridge's support beams. Some men had helped her up since her arms were clinging desperately to her two children. But… the water kept rising and there was nowhere left for her to go. All she could do was cry when the rising water crested the top handrail and she felt the cold dark water work it's way up to her feet… then ankles… then it was up to her calves. That was when she saw some of the first people on the bridge being washed away. Some of them futily screamed for help while others seemed to just silently slip under the surface of the dark water… never to be seen alive again. Some of them were old, and some were children. All of them were someone she knew from her neighborhood, but all she could do was cry as she watched them go. The young woman didn't remember the exact moment she slipped off the rail. She found out later that a floating house had crashed into the bridge and a number of people had been thrown off into the dark cold water below. Her emotions suddenly exploded and the tears came again from her sore eyes as she recalled the worst moments of her ordeal… the worst moments of her life, to the journalist.

"They slipped from my hands when we fell into the river!" the young woman sobbed as she retold her misfortune, "Just for a second… I couldn't hold on when I fell. I saw them in the water and I tried to get them back, but the water… it pulled them away from me so fast. I couldn't reach them in time and now… they're… they're gone! I was holding them so tight just this morning and now… they're gone. My babies are gone. My babies…" Another person in an emergency blanket pulled the woman into a sympathetic hug. She gave the reporter an angry glance, then bowed her head and cried with the young mother. Giving himself a shake, the stunned reporter signaled for the cameraman to find some something else to shoot.

Something happened in Maya's heart at that moment. The scene on the television changed to views from one of the news helicopters again, but the poor young woman's chronicle of despair and pain kept replaying itself in Maya's mind. Like a waking nightmare, she imagined herself in that cold swirling water and her two babies were just out of reach. She swam as hard as she could but they just got further and further away. Her despair told her to give up and just let the black water take her. If she couldn't even hold onto her children… perhaps she didn't deserve them. Perhaps they would be better off without her after all. But it was all a lie… the black water cared not whether she was worthy or useless. It didn't play favorites, nor did it care who or what slid beneath it's dark surface and disappeared from the living world. Maya's eyes were opened. Her babies were sinking into the morass of debris strewn water. They were crying out for help and suddenly, their little voices reached her.

 _I couldn't reach them in time and now… they're… they're gone!_

 _No! I… I can't let that happen!_ Maya stood suddenly and looked around. Shaking off the daydream-nightmare, she remembered where she was. Stumbling at first, she turned to the door that led to the bedroom where the maids were taking care of all the babies.

"Maya?" Minori was surprised at the sudden move, but grew concerned when she saw the expression of terror on her friend's face. Worried about her friend, Minori started to get up.

"Let her go." Obāsama said softly as she laid an old hand on Minori's wrist.

Minori looked back in challenge, but saw an expression of wisdom and confidence on the old face. She decided to stay where she was… for now. But she closely watched Maya stumble her way to the bedroom door.

 _I was holding them so tight just this morning and now… they're gone._

 _I haven't held my babies tight in…_ _when? When was the last time I held them in my arms?_ Maya was deeply ashamed at the distance that she had let grow between her and her own infant children. She couldn't remember the last time she felt the weight of them in her hands and the heat of their little bodies as they were pressed up against her chest. But even more powerfully than that regret, she felt an irresistible urge to see them. ...to see them _NOW!_

 _My babies are gone._

"No!" Maya cried out as she stumbled the last few steps to the bedroom. The door to the bedroom where her children were, had seemed incredibly far away and her movements were sluggish as if she were running through deep snow. But every step she made toward the door drove her need to see her children into a frenzy until it was the only thought on her mind. Worry was gone. Fear was gone. There was only the need to see them… to hold them… to feel the warmth of their little bodies in her arms. As if it were a delayed response to Minori's question, Maya cried out, "I need my babies!"

"Help me up, please!" Obāsama begged of Minori and Taiga only a moment after they had all watched Maya wrench the door open. The startled friends were still gawking at the door that had been thrown open so hard it may have damaged the wall. But Obāsama's request brought them back to their senses and soon, the three of them were making their way to the open door. What greeted them was a welcome sight that warmed their hearts on a day that had been filled with so much cold despair.

Maya had both of her daughters in her arms and was holding them close as they suckled the milk from her breasts. Her head was bowed while she lovingly watched their contented faces and their tiny hands, but she made no effort to hide the flood of emotions. The tears flowed and her body was wracked with sobs as she looked into their bright eyes.

"They're like mine… both of them… they're just like mine." Maya sounded amazed in a voice that was almost a whisper.

Taiga was about to comment that they weren't _like_ Maya's babies. They _were_ Maya's babies. But, something told her that Maya was looking at something more specific. Instead of her caustic comment, she asked, "What are just like yours?"

"Their eyes… I… I didn't remember that." Maya said as she choked on a sob.

"That's right Maya. They have your red-brown eyes and Noto's wavy brown hair. They are both very lovely girls." Obāsama told the crying mother. The tears continued to rain, but they were different than her previous tears. Now, for a change, and finally… Maya's tears were those of joy.

"My eyes… and Noto's hair. So beautiful." Maya's exhaustion was finally catching up with her as her tired body reacted to the explosive release of mental stress and emotion.

"Girls," Obāsama asked quietly, "if I could prevail upon you a favor. Please, stay with her a bit… but don't interrupt and don't interfere. In truth, I would like to leave her alone with the babies. But… her body is exhausted. She could pass out at any moment. If you could…"

"Obāsama please," Taiga said as she tugged on the old woman's sleeve, "leave it to us. We'll look after the babies."

"And Maya." Minori added.

Obāsama watched as the two girls crawled onto the bed with Maya and supported their friend. The grandmother had been right and Maya's strength seemed to give out soon after her friends got there to help. She would like to have stayed and watched for a while – however, her own fatigue was crying out to her, and she needed to rest as well. But first, there was one thing she would need to do before she retired for the evening. Noto would have enough to worry about at a time like this. He needed to know about this very positive breakthrough of Maya's. Pulling out her cell phone, she prepared a text message as she made here way to her bedroom. She was looking forward to what would hopefully be a good night's sleep… for Maya, as well as for herself.

.

Taiga was on one side of Maya and supporting the weight of one of the babies, while Minori was doing the same thing on the other side. She said nothing and just listened to Maya's sobbing and murmuring as she cried away all the frustration, fear, and stress that had accumulated since her ordeal had begun. But after a bit, both Taiga and Minori realized that they weren't just hearing incoherent muttering. They looked across at each other for confirmation that the other heard it too.

"Don't ever leave me. Don't float away from me. I love you so much. I promise… I'll never forget that again. So please… please forgive your mother and love me too. And don't… don't leave me. I… I couldn't bear it. Please… please don't leave…" Maya's lips barely moved and the words were so soft, they couldn't all be made out. But Taiga and Minori could still hear them long after Maya's eyes had closed and her body relaxed on the bed.

.

* * *

.

 **Glossary**

 **Imouto** : little (younger) sister.

 **Kohai** : junior, as in a student from a lower grade or a new employee learning the trade from a more senior employees


	8. Chapter 8 - Redacted

**Saturday morning, March 12th – Shinkansen tunnel**

* * *

It had been a rough night for everyone on the bullet train. Fortunately, the seats in the Super-Green Car reclined almost to a full horizontal position, so the passengers in that car were more comfortable. Unfortunately, the crew of the Super-Green Car were not provided such seats and had to make do with taking turns to get some sleep on the floor. Around midnight they had been visited by an inspection team and a supply truck that dropped off food and water for everyone still on the train, but there was no word of when the trains would be running again. So they waited.

Ten hours later, it was still dark inside the tunnel where the train sat... where it would remain immobile for quite a bit longer. But the wait was over for the passengers. Workers arrived with an evacuation plan. Umeko and her juniors offered to help, but from the perspective of the emergency teams – _everyone_ on the train was an evacuee. Whether passenger or employee, they were all given the same instructions.

"But, we can help." Umeko insisted to a man wearing one of the reflective vests. He glanced at her name badge before replying.

"No Minami-san. Your work is done now. According to what we've been told, you and your crew have been at work for more than twenty-four hours. You've all done a splendid job of maintaining order and keeping your passengers safe. It's time for you to let us take over." the workman told her.

"Besides that, it's against the safety rules. As soon as you step off that train and into this tunnel, your responsibilities are over." another man added.

"Yeah, I guess so." Umeko gave up then. There were a lot of guidelines and rules that could be bent, but not when it came to safety.

"Can you tell me if our cell phones will work when we get outside?" the younger of her juniors asked the man in the reflective vest.

"It's spotty, but you should have a signal when you emerge from the tunnel. Try to make your calls before the bus pulls away though. Once you get on the road, you might not have any signal for a while." he warned them.

 _Cell phone…_ Umeko realized that she hadn't talked to her sister since this ordeal had begun and wondered how she was doing. _Ha… of course she's okay. She's a whole ocean and continent away from all of this madness. Still, I should call and check on her when I get out of this tunnel._

.

 **Saturday morning, March 12th – Hotel Suite, Melbourne**

* * *

Suzume bounded across the suite's lounge area and grabbed the phone from Ryuuji's hand. Hearing that her sister was on the phone made her forget about everything else.

"Where are you? Are you okay? What happened? Why didn't you call me?" Suzume blurted out in a rapid fire blitz of questions.

"Our train stopped in a tunnel. We only just got out of there. I couldn't make any calls inside the tunnel." the elder sister said slowly and calmly, then asked, "How are you doing?"

"How am I doing? HOW AM I DOING! I'm not doing real good. You scared me. You scared me real bad!" Suzume's emotions seemed to be sliding toward anger rather than relief. She was about to start screaming into the phone again when she felt a powerful stinging blow to her bare bottom. Spinning around she saw an upset Ryuuji and, even more frighteningly, a furious Hisako. Before she could utter a word, Ryuuji snatched his phone back and walked away while Hisako grabbed the teenager by her long red hair. Pulling the teen's hair, she forced Suzume to come within centimeters of her roiling fury.

"Ryuuji said he doesn't want any bruises, so I won't hit you in the face. But if you don't calm your silly ass down RIGHT NOW, I will put you over my knee and spank you until my hands are swollen." Hisako fumed.

"W...why?" Suzume was still rubbing her bottom where the first blow had landed and certainly didn't want any more of those. But she was also pissed off that Hisako was interfering in something that wasn't her concern.

"You are blaming your sister for something that she had no control of. Think about how exhausted she probably is now. Think about how her precious little sister's tirade made her feel. Stop being a selfish little bitch and think of your sister instead of yourself for once!" Hisako hissed through her own anger.

"You should also finish your bath and put some clothes on." Nanako added in a much calmer tone that betrayed her amusement at Suzume's situation, "I mean… I'm okay with it, but I think you gave Ryuuji-sama a bit of a shock."

"Huh?" Suzume glanced down and realized that she hadn't even grabbed a towel when she came running from the bathroom to talk to her sister. Her mouth dropped open and her face colored bright red as she backed out of the room with her small hands trying futily to hide her private parts.

.

"Umeko, this is Ryuuji. Hisako is… _talking_ to your sister." Ryuuji told the elder Minami.

"Yeah, I heard some of it. You know… she gave me quite an earful the other day too." Umeko remembered the stern words clearly.

"Suzume?" Ryuuji asked. He hadn't heard of this.

"No… Hisako-san. She didn't like the way I was always telling Suzume that foreign places were unsafe." Umeko said.

"Do you want me to talk to her about it?" Ryuuji hadn't been aware that Hisako had been involving herself in the lives of the Minami siblings so much.

"No… she was right. I was being stupid." Umeko admitted.

"It sounds like your sister is getting chewed out now for… a similar transgression." Ryuuji had left the room and couldn't hear what was being said, but he could definitely pick up the menacing tone of Hisako's voice.

"I guess Hisako sees herself as the strict older sister." Umeko mused. "I know how much she wanted to get out from underneath my… supervision. So, sometimes I feel sorry for her."

"What do you mean?" Ryuuji asked.

"It seems to me that every time she goes somewhere with you guys, she suddenly has four or five older sisters watching out for her." Umeko laughed.

"Yeah. Hisako may be the most vocal, but Yasuko… well, you know how she is. But Ami, Yuri, and even Nanako are all watching out for her too." Ryuuji explained.

"I know it might be bugging her, but I have to admit that it makes me feel better knowing that." Umeko confided.

"Hey, enough about us. You're okay though, aren't you?" Ryuuji could hear the weariness in Umeko's voice and wondered what she had been through in the last twenty-four hours.

"I'm fine. I'm on a bus for Tokyo now. They're saying it will take us six or seven hours to get back, so I'm going to get some sleep now. Would you tell Suzume that I'm sorry I didn't call her?" Umeko said sleepily.

"No prob…" Ryuuji realized that the conversation had been lost. But the important part was done. All of their friends were now accounted for.

 _All of our friends?_

Ryuuji realized then just how many friends he had, when he thought about the ones he hadn't heard from. Some of them, he hadn't heard from in quite a while. Kitamura was still with Sumire in California, so both of them should be safe. The Yamada sisters should all be in Tokyo, so they _should_ be safe… though he hadn't heard from any of them in a while either. And finally, Haruta Koji should be… come to think of it, Ryuuji had no idea where Haruta planned to go after their High School graduation. He recalled him saying something about learning the family trade from his father or uncle, but Ryuuji couldn't remember what that trade was or where Haruta would be learning it. Haruta's family had always been close friends with the Hisamitsu family, so Ryuuji thought about sending Noto a quick query. But he refrained. From what he had heard from the Major and a few others, Noto was busy doing some very important things.

 _Then again…_

Ryuuji looked at his phone and reconsidered. As busy as he was, he would want to know if a friend was in trouble. And, he figured Noto was the same kind of person. Pulling up the messaging application, he sent a quick message to let his friend know that most everyone was accounted for but…

 _Have you heard from Haruta recently?_

 _._

 **Monday late morning, March 13th – Yamagata, Japan**

* * *

Noto and Shinako stood in front of the bathhouse where they had been staying and faced the other guests. Arrangements had been made for the Hisamitsu representatives to stay in Sendai so that they could be closer to the center of the disaster relief efforts. Finding transportation was still difficult, but one of the Hisamitsu carry-all trucks had arrived to pick them up.

"I want to thank all of you for the support you have given me over the last several days. In truth, I wish I could take all of you with me. But, I've been told that there are only limited accommodations in Sendai now. So, I'm afraid this must be goodbye. However, I would like to give you something for all you've done for me."

Shinako stepped forward and gave each one of them an envelope.

"It is my hope that all of you will go to the airport and use these tickets to go to Okinawa and get away from this madness for a while." Noto told them.

"Thank you Hisamitsu-sama!" all of the bathhouse occupants bowed to show their gratitude.

.

"How much did that cost us?" Noto asked his cousin after they were safely inside the carry-all.

"Nothing." Shinako smiled.

"Nothing?" Noto asked in surprise.

"The airlines gave us a gift package for getting the Sendai airport cleaned up so quickly. I simply re-gifted some of that to our helpers." Shinako looked like she was waiting to be praised.

"Nicely done, Shinako-san!" Noto gave her the praise as expected, then turned his thoughts to the next issue. Or rather, the big issue that was facing him. Looking at the timetables and what would need to be done, agreements that needed to be reached, and contracts that needed to be finished – he was coming to the realization that he might have to skip the next year of college. He hadn't approached his cousin on this yet, mostly because he knew what she would say. But his was the voice and the face that had been meeting with the local government and disaster recovery management teams from Tokyo. For him to suddenly leave those efforts in two weeks when the new school year started, would be foolish and could seriously jeopardize everything he had worked for so far. Worse than that, it could introduce delay into the ongoing rescue and recovery work.

Compared to the troubles that others were having now, he considered his own inconvenience to be of no consequence. Noto was quiet as the big truck made it's way through Yamagata and into the residential areas outside the town. Yamagata was having a few power outages but otherwise showed no damage from the earthquake and tsunami that had ravaged the coastal areas. He tried to burn these peaceful views into his mind while he could. From the scenes that had been in the news coverage, he knew that Sendai was going to have an entirely different look.

.

 **Monday late afternoon, March 14th – Melbourne, Australia**

* * *

"I don't know how long we're going to be able to keep up this pace." Hisako warned Ryuuji as she came off the stage, practically carrying Suzume.

He looked around and saw that his mother didn't look very happy either. She was holding a worn out little Aiko-chan in her arms with Yuri passed out on the same couch. With several performances and fashion shows every day since the day after the news broke about the tidal wave, they were all feeling worn out even before today's performance started.

The girls had just finished an afternoon performance for Australia's school aged children. Kids from the local schools in Melbourne had attended the concert, but it had been broadcast all over the country. The show hadn't been an easy gig though. Since the audience included boys and girls from grade school ages all the way to their late teens, the range of songs had to be vast to appeal to everyone. And, along with the singing, there had to be a lot of movement and physical entertainment as well. Fortunately, they had Yasuko and Yuri to help with a lot of the on-stage physical comedy.

Ryuuji's performance role had been to mix into the audience in one Avant Garde outfit after another. All of his brooding and mysterious outfits were designed by Hellivin and seemed to have been selected by the designer to accentuate Ryuuji's sinister looks, rather than tone them down. Umeki and Nanako would be performing with Ryuuji and had also learned to change clothes quickly, since they would wear one design after another as well. Unlike Ryuuji's industrial-goth look, the outfits worn by the girls were selected to appeal to teens and younger women.

But it would be no walk in the park for any of them. After Ryuuji had a few minutes head start to mix into they audience, Umeki and Nanako would come running out from the shadows as if to catch him. Ryuuji would lead them on a merry chase through the audience while the performers on stage continued to sing. All of the school children loved the game they were playing and were fascinated by Ryuuji's industrial goth look. Most of the younger children in the audience would squeal and point out the direction Ryuuji had gone, to the two girls chasing him. The older kids had fun trying to help him hide or giving the girl's conflicting directions on which way he had run.

By the time the show was over, they were all tired. Only Deena seemed to have any energy left, but she had been given the task of translating the instructions between the Japanese singers, and the Australian performance band that was working the show with them.

"Um… how would you guys like to relax and go see a movie?" Deena suggested after she got off the phone with her DFAT director.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm wiped out." Ami said.

"Me too." Nanako added while rubbing her sore feet.

"I think we'd all just like to go back to the hotel and sleep for a week." Ryuuji told Deena but grew concerned when he saw her troubled expression. "Deena, what is it?"

"It's not good… there are a bunch of reporters at the hotel waiting for us to get back. And… they're not fashion or entertainment reporters." Deena told them.

"Why? What happened?" Ami asked.

"There's been another explosion at the nuclear power plant and… things are looking pretty bad there." Deena told her friends as gently as she could.

"So what? Isn't that more reason we should get the word out that there are struggling people that need help?" Suzume countered.

"No… Deena-chan is right. The reporters that show up after a natural disaster are mostly there to get the facts and show the humanitarian crisis." Yuri frowned and then told them, "But reporters that show up after a man-made accident are only there for fear and blame. There is already a lot of fear around nuclear power, so those kinds of reporters will be swarming like flies."

"But… that has nothing to do with us?" Suzume protested.

"I don't get it either." Umeki added. "Surely they're not going to expect us to answer questions about a nuclear power plant?"

"It's not that they will ask you about the power plants directly…" Yuri looked over at the couch where Yasuko held a sleeping Aiko-chan in her lap and decided to give the teen girls a more graphic lesson in what to expect from the press at a time like this. She took her shoe off and held it like a microphone.

"What… are you doing?" Suzume asked her sensei why she was holding her shoe in her hand. On entertainment programs, that was what a person did, right before they hit someone with the shoe.

"Just a little acting. I want you to pretend that I'm a reporter." Yuri told the teen. Before she started, she looked over at Ryuuji and Ami, but both of them grimly nodded their heads.

"Um okay." Suzume stood up a little straighter as if she were being interviewed by a reporter and his cameraman.

"Suzume-chan, you and your friends have been getting a lot of publicity since the earthquake and tidal wave hit your country. I mean, with your concerts bringing attention to the humanitarian efforts, of course." Yuri said in a reporter style.

"Yes! Lots of people are watching us and I hope they all will do something to help." Suzume replied.

"Of course you do. But whether they do or don't, you still get that boost to your popularity, right?" Yuri winked at her as if the two of them were in on a little secret. "And with this new nuclear power crisis, you'll be getting even more publicity, won't you?"

"I… I don't know what you mean." Suzume didn't like the way that had sounded at all.

"How does it feel to know that your popularity will go up because of the radioactive waste spewing out of the blown up reactor?" Yuri asked.

"What?" Suzume gasped.

"Does it make you happy to know that your rankings are going up while people in the affected areas are loosing their homes to the deadly radiation?" Yuri badgered the young student.

"Yuri-sensei, you know that isn't true!" Suzume shouted.

"How do you sleep at night…" but Yuri stopped when Hisako put her hand over the raised shoe.

"It won't be like that, will it? I mean… there may be some hard questions but they won't really be mean like that, will they?" Suzume asked.

"Yuri-sensei actually sugar coated it for you." Hisako told them. She took her hand away from Yuri's shoe and looked down as she added, "They will ask questions deliberately fashioned to make you scream or cry… or both."

 _How would you know?_ Suzume almost started to argue with Hisako, but she remembered the elder model's difficult past. Among the entertainers present, Hisako alone had a history of dealing with an antagonistic press. It was a history that had no victories… and a lot of pain.

"Do they show movies that we would understand?" Yasuko asked for herself and Aiko-chan mostly. The two of them had the least English comprehension of the whole group.

"There is an international theater that has lots of foreign films as well as movies that have been translated." Deena suggested.

"Oooh, I want to see a comedy… or a romance!" Yasuko brightened.

"That sounds like fun." Umeki replied with enthusiasm intended to better Suzume's mood.

"Oh no! That should be fine for Yasuko and Aiko-chan, but the rest of you need to hone your English skills and I'm not letting you off the hook!" Yuri insisted.

"I still don't see why it has to be a movie." Suzume sulked.

"What does Ryuuji-sama think?" Umeki asked.

"I…" Ryuuji was going to throw his support behind Deena's suggestion anyway, but his thoughts were momentarily interrupted when he felt Ami's hand slide into his. He looked at her and almost laughed from her _shy girl wants something_ act. "I don't mind seeing a movie, if it's with the people that I like."

Even Suzume's defenses crumbled with that argument .

.

An hour later they were all comfortably seated in the international theater that Deena had told them about. Perhaps, they were a little too comfortably seated. More than half of them were asleep before the end of the show.

.

 **[Day-Date-Time Redacted] – [Location Redacted]**

* * *

Deep in the mountains of the [Redacted] Prefecture, Ami and Ryuuji walked in step through a long corridor of metal doors and no windows.

It was clean.

Too clean.

The place had an antiseptic smell as if too much chlorine and bleach had been used to remove the blood from the floor and walls. Her escorts were all dressed in black business suits, wore dark sunglasses, and never smiled. That didn't bother Ami though. Being married to Ryuuji meant she was used to being around someone with fearsome looks and sunglasses. Today, she was wearing a matching pair of the mirror-shades he always wore these days.

"This way." one of the faceless escorts showed her to a nondescript door. It took him a few minutes to get it open as he dialed the combination code, turned a key simultaneously with another of the escorts, placed his palm on the reader, and looked into the lens for the retina scan. Then, they were all about to go in when Ami stopped Ryuuji at the entrance.

"Be a prince and wait for me here." she said as she caressed his face and let her fingers trail down his neck and chest.

"Yeah, whatever you want." Ryuuji stood next to the door and assumed his usual _I'll just be waiting for your return_ pose. For some reason, the pose looked a lot more arousing than usual.

A hunger leapt inside her and she wished she had enough time to jump his sexy body before going into the room, but time was of the essence. All she could do for now was lick her lips at his handsome visage, then turn away and walk into the room.

Just inside the door, Ami walked down some steps into a control room with two large screens on the wall in front of her and several banks of technicians arranged at consoles also facing those big monitors.

"Satellite [Redacted] will be coming into range in two minutes. After that, you'll have six minutes for conversation before the fireworks start. Try to keep her on the phone at all times." an older man, also in a black suit, told her.

"Okay." Ami squared her shoulders and readied herself.

"Any problems? Regrets?" the older man asked as the screen came to life with the acquired satellite feed. Initially, it had most of the Pacific Ocean, Japan, and parts of Asia on the screen, but the view zoomed in and resolved until it was only Japan. Then it zoomed in again… and again…

"None." Ami said with intense assurance. She steeled herself that this was not the time for self doubts.

"Make the call." the older man said to one of the technicians as he handed Ami a headset.

Ring… Ring…

"Hello?" Taiga's voice answered sleepily.

"Hey Taiga, it's Ami." Ami said as casually as she could. The satellite feed had finished zooming in now and she could see a small house at the base of a mountain on the left screen and a wire-frame computer model of the same view on the right screen. The angle of the view was constantly changing as the satellite swept through the heavens, far overhead. In the wire-frame view, the roof and walls of the house were made transparent so she could see a single heat glow of a person in the kitchen of the remote place. Other than that heat glow, it seemed that there was no-one else there.

"Dumb-chi? Do you know what time it is?" Taiga asked groggily.

"No, I don't. Time and date were redacted and this place has no windows." Ami replied.

"What do you want?" Taiga now sounded more annoyed than sleepy.

"Taiga, we… haven't really talked." Ami said to the phone in her hand. A moment of sadness came to Ami and she wondered how it had come to this.

"And what… you want to talk now?" Taiga already sounded bored with the conversation, "What happened? You suddenly got a guilty conscience for stealing what was rightfully mine?"

"I didn't steal anything!" Ami insisted.

"Poached, stole, pilfered, plundered… whatever you want to call it – you did it. You took something that belonged to me!" Taiga snapped.

"No I did not! You walked away and didn't return his calls…" Ami tried to explain what had really happened.

"Blah blah blah. You're just going to say the same thing everybody else says. Well, I don't care any more." Taiga challenged.

"What? What do you mean?" Ami demanded.

"Ryuuji is my dog and I'm coming to take him back. You've had your fun, but it will be over soon, and I'll have my mongrel back where he belongs." Taiga sneered.

"Where he belongs? But, he's better off with me!" Ami said.

"That's true." Taiga agreed in an uncaring voice.

"The only way you know how to show affection is with abuse. Living with someone like that would be hell for him. It would be hell for anybody!" Ami said.

"Yeah, I guess that's true too." Taiga agreed again, but was sounding even more bored.

"With you, he'll have no future, no hope at all. His whole life will become a big dismal failure!" Ami begged Taiga to see reason.

"That's all true, but you're overlooking something." Taiga sneered.

"What?"

"That mongrel is my dog! He'll do what he's told and he'll like it. And all that other stuff… I don't care about anything else! He's mine and I'm taking him back. You got that through your thick Dumb-chi head?" Taiga yelled into the phone.

Ami turned and gave the signal to the old man and he in turn gave a signal to two of the technicians at the consoles. On the screen, the heat signature was walking across the kitchen toward the refrigerator.

"Ku ku ku! Dumb-chi, you should know that there's nothing you can do to stop me! I can…" Taiga's lunatic rant was washed out with static as several dotted lines converged on the house. There was a fireball that lit the landscape for kilometers as the house was reduced to glowing embers. But that wasn't all. Ami had seen enough movies to know that the villain didn't die quite so easily. Moments after the house was destroyed, blasting charges exploded near the top of the mountain and sent boulders and debris crashing down. The place where the house had been was now buried under a hundred meters of rock. It would take a while before the dust would clear, but the satellite scans showed that there was nothing to indicate that a house had ever been there.

Ami had a sad but satisfied smile as she watched the final moments on the monitors. _It's over. It's finally over._ She thought to herself, but for some reason, the triumph didn't give her the victorious feeling she had been anticipating. Accepting this as a bittersweet ending to an old problem, she was turning to leave when she noticed that the door to the room was standing open.

"You! How did you get that door opened?" one of the black suited men demanded.

"It wasn't locked." Ryuuji replied to the man, then turned to face Ami with a pained look on his face.

"Ryuuji?" Ami's voice called out in a sorrowful, pleading way.

"Ami, what have you done?" Ryuuji asked as he stood in the doorway and looked at her with disbelief, disappointment, and… disgust.

"Ryuuji, wait!" she called out, but there was something wrong with her legs and she couldn't move toward him. She screamed, "Forgive me!"

"How could I ever forgive you, when you [Redacted]?" Ryuuji said as he turned away. He put his mirror-shades back on and held their son close in his arms as he walked off – into the sunset.

.

 **Tuesday morning, March 15th – Melbourne, Australia**

* * *

"NOOOO!" Ami sat up in bed with a scream.

"Ami, what's wrong?" Ryuuji sat up and held her tight. She was gasping for air and her heart was pumping like she was running for her life. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"What… what does _redacted_ mean?" Ami demanded to know.

"Huh?" Ryuuji was surprised by the strange question and looked at her as if she might be losing her mind.

"Nevermind… I have got to lay off the spy movies for a while." Ami panted as she pulled her wits together a little more. The contents of the nightmare were fading away but, for some reason, she had a huge urge to check up on her son Tatsuya.

Ryuuji was still worried about her. The last several days – ever since the news of the earthquake and tsunami, had been hard on all of them. In an effort to raise awareness and support the relief efforts back home, everyone had been going all out. Now, Ryuuji was concerned that he might have been driving them too hard.

"So, what's on the schedule for today?" Ami asked as she threw off the blanket and started to get out of bed.

"We have a couple of modeling gigs at the Melbourne fashion festival this afternoon and evening, but no performances today." Ryuuji told her.

"Seriously? How did you manage that?" Ami called out from the bathroom while turning on the shower.

"Deena's suggestion. She said we needed to take a break for Aiko-chan's sake. She's looking pretty run down." Ryuuji replied as he followed Ami into the shower.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Ami asked as he stepped into the shower behind her.

"I was just planning on washing your back. But we don't have a gig until the afternoon, so if _you_ were thinking of something else, I suppose we have time." Ryuuji said suggestively.

"Sorry big boy, but I'm mostly thinking about breakfast right now. For some reason, I'm starving." Ami said apologetically.

"Did that dream make you hungry?" Ryuuji asked as he gently caressed the soapy loofah across Ami's shoulders.

"No." Ami answered simply. The details of the dream were fading, but the disquieting feeling was still fresh in her mind.

"What was it about? You seem a little spooked." Ryuuji said quietly while bringing the loofah down the curve of her back.

"Nothing." Ami insisted while moving away from his touch.

"Don't give me that." Ryuuji wrapped his arms around her and surrounded her with his body heat. He put his head into her neck and said, "Something's got you seriously bothered and I want to know what it is. So, tell me what that dream was about."

"T… Taiga. It was about Taiga." Ami admitted.

"Oh… okay then." Ryuuji was suddenly a lot less worried and let go of her to continue washing her with the loofah.

"What? You're going to let it go at that? You aren't going to demand to know any more?" Ami asked.

"Nah. Considering the nightmares she's given me, that's all you had to say." Ryuuji handed Ami the loofah and turned around so she could wash his back.

"Hmmm…" Ami started washing her husband's back and had to ask, "So, you're saying you still dream about Taiga?"

"Dream? Did I say _dream_? _No_ , I don't think so!" Ryuuji was being a little harsh with his response, but he wanted to squash that line of questioning before it got any further.

"Whatever." Ami sounded bored as she desperately tried to conceal her relief and excitement at Ryuuji's response.

.

 **Tuesday morning, March 15th – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

 _Achoo!_

"Taiga, are you okay?" Minori asked with concern as she mounted her horse.

"Yeah… I don't know what that was about." Taiga had an allergy to dust but she had never had a problem with horses before.

"Should we put off this ride?" Maya asked, also concerned about Taiga.

"No no no! You're all overreacting. Probably, someone was just talking about me." Taiga had been looking forward to this ride for a while. Now that Maya's health had improved, she could join them on one of the trail rides up into the hills above the estate. And, the weather today seemed to be perfect for it. Not waiting for a consensus, Taiga got her horse moving out of the pasture and up one of the more scenic hill trails.

"I'm so glad. I've really been looking forward to this." Kawashima Anna laughed as she and the other girls spurred their horses to follow Taiga.

"Are you going to be okay with this, Kawashima-san?" Maya asked the oldest member of the group.

"Please girls, you're all friends of my Ami. Don't you think you could call me Anna?" the star implored the younger girls.

"Um… It doesn't really seem right." Maya said carefully.

"Oh poo! Just because I'm the only one out of her twenties?" Anna asked. Of course, she wouldn't mention just how far out of her twenties she was.

"No, it's not that… I mean… you're a star, a celebrity!" Maya explained her unease.

"I'm not even _in_ my twenties." Taiga said.

"Me either." Minori agreed with her friend.

"What? You two are still teenagers?" Anna balked.

"Um… I'm not yet twenty either." Maya admitted.

Thinking they were joking with her, Anna was about to challenge them and demand to know why they were picking on her age, when she realized that Ami – her own daughter wouldn't be turning twenty for another eight months. "Oh… well, how about Anna-san then?" she countered.

"I… I guess I could do that." Maya said.

"Maya, my dear. You are the one that's going to have to get used to it the most." Anna cautioned the young woman.

"Why me?" Maya asked with a little shock.

"If your darling Noto pulls off what he is trying to accomplish for his family business, you are going to be a celebrity too." Anna told her.

"What?" Maya gaped as her degree of shock deepened. Reading about celebrities was one thing. The idea of _being_ a celebrity was… frightening.

"Certainly! Black and White balls. Elegant diners for charities or awards. Magazine interviews and speaking engagements." Anna said breathlessly, "Even if you're only there to be Noto's arm candy, you should always be prepared to answer the occasional question with panache. My dear, you have a lot to look forward to."

"Look… _forward_ … to?" Maya's shock was worsening even more.

"Oh my," Anna just realized how scared the girl was looking and offered, "Don't worry too much about it now. It's not like this kind of thing will happen to you tomorrow. All of this will probably start happening a few years down the road. After all, Noto-kun has to be recognized for his business accomplishments first, and he's not even out of college yet, right?"

"Yeah… yeah, that's right. But, something like that will really happen to me someday… won't it?" Maya asked with lingering concern.

"Maya, my dear… I am sorry for worrying you, but isn't it better to know what lies ahead than to be suddenly surprised by it when it comes? At least now you know that you should start preparing for this eventuality. You're a smart girl. I don't think it will take long for you to learn how to be a woman of charm and grace. And always remember that, when the time comes, you have friends that you can call upon for help."

Riding slightly ahead and side by side, Taiga and Minori glanced at each other – wondering if they would be called upon for this kind of help.

"I do?" Maya brightened.

"Of course. There's Yamada Yukiko, Noto's Obāsama, and me." Anna gave Maya her most disarming smile then added, "Also, my Ami could help you."

 _Thunk!_

Taiga grunted when Anna mentioned Ami. It was as if an arrow of words had just pierced her in the back.

"I'm sure you have other friends that are eloquent and acquainted with the forms of etiquette?" Anna looked up at the two girls riding ahead of them. The tomboyish athlete and of course… Taiga. Deciding _not_ to use them as examples, she instead asked, "Surely you can think of someone you know that has those qualities?"

 _Thunk! Thunk!_

Taiga and Minori both felt the sting of additional word arrows when Anna skipped over them in the list of _women with charm and grace_.

"No, not really. Well… maybe Nanako." Maya said after some careful consideration.

 _Thunk! Thunk!_

"Are you sure there's no-one else?" Anna pressed. She could see the effects this conversation was having on the jock and the tiger, and an idea came to her.

"No. No-one that I know. I guess everyone else that I know isn't very ladylike." _...like me._ Maya finished the sentence in her mind – not wanting to expose how un-ladylike an image she had of her own self. She also wasn't intentionally trying to be mean to her friends, but she believed the bar that Anna was setting was pretty high. And even people like Ryuuji's mother, who was able to charm other women into calling her Onee-chan, didn't fit the kind of ladylike image that Anna seemed to be painting. But her unintentionally harsh words had found their marks nevertheless.

 _Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!_

"HEY!" Taiga cried out initially but calmed down a little and pouted, "I can be ladylike."

"You can?" Maya asked in genuine surprise.

 _Thunk!_

Taiga reeled from the blow to the extent that Anna worried she might fall from her horse.

"Taiga, we're not talking about _looking_ ladylike and just knowing which utensils to eat with at a fancy dinner. This is more than that. It involves answering direct questions or addressing a room full of people…" Anna was explaining.

"I can do that!" Taiga insisted.

"… without offending anyone." Anna finished.

 _THUNK!_

Taiga looked to Minori for support but she was also looking fairly deflated.

"I don't know which utensils to use at a fancy dinner." Minori admitted dejectedly.

"Girls, I have a wonderful idea!" Anna seemed suddenly excited as she announced, "Why don't you all take some etiquette and speech classes together?"

"Well… we go to different universities." Minori mentioned, but she was wondering just how much time away from academics and baseball something like that would take.

"I don't know, that seems…" _kinda girly._ Taiga was about to say. Suddenly, it occurred to her why she wasn't seen as being very ladylike. "I'll think about it."

"You know, there are competitions for this sort of thing." Anna mentioned.

"Competitions?" both Taiga and Minori asked.

"Absolutely! Aside from the intercollegiate speech competitions, I'm sure both of your colleges have Tea Ceremony clubs. A proper tea ceremony involves calligraphy, flower arrangement, proper wear of a Kimono, and of course – the tea ceremony. All of those things have levels of mastery." Anna could see that this hook was working. Just one more little push… "You know, since you're in different colleges, you could end up competing against each other from time to time."

"Hmm… if I could get Nanako to join with me then it would be the two of us competing against Taiga and Minori." Maya speculated.

"Don't forget my Ami! Wouldn't you like to compete with her as well?" Anna asked. A look at Taiga told her that there was indeed a competitive feeling between her daughter and Taiga… at least on Taiga's side.

"Yeah… something we could have in common, and compete against each other as well! I'm in! Well… as long as it doesn't interfere with my baseball too much." Minori said.

"I'm in too." Taiga suddenly seemed very determined.

 _Oh yes! This does look like it's shaping up to be some wonderful fun._ Anna thought as she smiled at the three girls.

.

Later that afternoon, the girls had all come back from their ride. They really hadn't ridden very far since Anna wasn't able to take a long ride without frequent breaks. But, it had been fun. Taiga announced that she would like to do it again the next day, if the weather looked good for it. Maya and Minori agreed, but Anna begged off – at least for a few days.

On her way back to her room from the bath, Taiga almost jumped out of her skin when an old-timey telephone on a little table started ringing. She had seen the phone several times before, but thought it was some kind of art piece. It looked so old, she couldn't imagine the thing still being in use. Looking around to see if someone was playing a joke on her, she cautiously picked up the hand-piece and put it to her ear.

"Hello?" Taiga's voice answered warily.

"Hey Taiga, it's Ami." Ami said – and suddenly had a strong deja vu feeling about this conversation.

"Dum… Ami? What do you want?" Taiga remembered the conversation with Anna when they were on the trail and her mood became a little haughty.

"I was just calling to ask about Tatsuya. I… really miss him." Ami confided.

"Yeah, I guess you would." Taiga's tone completely changed then. She could feel the motherly desire in Ami's voice. It was the need of a mother to hold her child, and Taiga wondered if it was something that would ever be in her grasp. Taiga admitted to Ami, "He's a sweet kid."

"Yeah… huh? Waitaminit, what have you done with him?" Ami asked in surprise.

"Whadayamean – what have I done with him? I've done everything with him! I fed him. I burped him. I washed him. Hell, I've even changed his poopy diapers! Are you saying I'm not good enough to be around your son?" Taiga demanded.

"No! Nothing like that." Ami realized how her comment could have been taken wrong and regretted not thinking things through before speaking. She took a deep breath and explained, "Taiga, I thought you said you didn't like to be around kids, so I was just surprised. That's all."

"Oh… yeah. I guess I did say something like that once." Taiga also regretted flying off the handle now. In a much calmer voice, she told Ami, "Babies will grow up to be… bigger than me. And that's… annoying. But when they are little babies like this, I guess they're okay."

There was silence on the phone for a little while each of them was trying to find the courage to speak again.

"Taiga, we… haven't really talked." Ami said to the phone in her hand. Another moment of deja vu hit Ami and she was suddenly filled with a dread that something disastrous would happen if this conversation wasn't handled just right.

"I know… but if it's about Ryuuji, I'm not ready to talk to you about that." Taiga forced the words out.

"Then, let's just talk about us." Ami suggested.

"Yeah. We can do that." Taiga agreed.

The suggestion and agreement had been easy, but the silence that followed showed just how hard it was to talk about anything that didn't somehow involve Ryuuji.

"I… heard you've been riding horses a lot. And, you're really impressive too." Ami blurted out when she finally thought of something that seemed _safe_ to talk about with Taiga.

"Yeah! They have a horse here that was trained to ride English style. He's too old to jump fences now, but he still remembers all his trots. So, who told you about that?" Taiga brightened up since she got to brag about her equestrian skills. But her prideful mood was doomed with her last question.

"Ryuuji told me about it. Oh… sorry." Ami bit her lip and, and once again - wished she had thought before she spoke.

"Heh… yeah. I guess it's going to be impossible for us." Taiga said sadly.

"Do you dislike me that much?" Ami asked.

"Huh? What are you on about now?" Taiga chided.

"Well, you're the one that said it would be impossible for us." Ami explained.

"I meant it would be impossible for us to have a conversation without bringing up Ryuuji." Taiga said in a monotone.

"Oh." Ami was glad that she hadn't been right about the conclusion she had jumped to.

"I suppose you want us to try and be friends like we were before." Taiga sighed as if the idea was boring to her.

"No, not really." Ami replied.

"You don't?" Taiga was stunned that Ami would come right out and say something like that.

"Taiga, the relationship we had before sucked." Ami told her the way she remembered it, "Sure we cooperated with each other once or twice, but there were always insults and barbs between us. I don't really want to go back to that."

"So… you don't want me around?" Taiga hadn't honestly considered Ami a 'friend' either. But to be told something like this was just so cold.

"No, that's not what I mean at all!" Ami was getting frustrated that everything she was saying was being taken the wrong way. But there was one thing that she had been wanting to tell Taiga that would be hard even for the little shrimp to get confused about. "Taiga, I want Tatsuya to grow up, knowing that he has a wonderful Aunt Taiga that he can always depend on."

"Ami!" Taiga was stunned and flooded from the happy emotions that sprang from hearing such an endearing wish.

"I want him to know that he can look up to you, even when he's twice your height." Ami told her diminutive friend.

"Gee… thanks." Taiga said dryly.

"I'm serious, Taiga. If you get married and have kids of your own, I still want you to be Tatsuya's favorite Obachan." Ami insisted, then asked, "But… only if it's something you want. I'm not going to force you into that role. It's not like I could force you to do anything, right? But, please… even if you can never consider _me_ a friend, I still want you to be there for Tatsuya."

"I don't have to… think about it." Taiga had an uneven smile as the tears formed in her eyes. _Do you have any idea what you are asking of me?_ Taiga wanted to ask, but instead found herself promising, "I'll be his Obachan. Even if you didn't ask me, I would do that."

"Thanks Taiga. I really appreciate this." Ami heard the others calling and hurried to finish up, "I have to go now, but I want to talk again. Okay?"

"Yeah, we can talk. Later." Taiga hung up the phone first. The tears were coming fast now and she couldn't bare to let Ami hear a sniffle or a sob. Instead, she wondered if this pain would ever go away – and she wondered if she was becoming a masochist. And, it was all Tatsuya's fault. He was always so happy to see her when she appeared above his crib. When he was crying, it was only Taiga or Obāsama that seemed to be able to calm him. And he made the most wonderful laughing sounds when she held him in her lap and played with him. And in turn, she couldn't wait to see the little boy.

But deep inside Taiga's heart, there was a battle going on. When she saw the child, he was a living and breathing reminder of what she had lost. His very existence represented what could have been hers, but was now gone forever. It would be far easier if she had never seen this child… but no. When she closed her eyes, she could see his cherub like, smiling face. His short arms and tiny hands reaching out to her warmed her heart as nothing before ever had. His delighted squeals and happy cooing sounds he made when she held him were like beautiful music to her ears. She thought about what this would mean for them. She imagined little Tatsuya's first day of school, joining him on outings, holding his hand in busy places, and watching him play at the beach. Some day he would be taller than her, but she still imagined holding his hand in busy places – even when it was time for him to go off to high school. Someday he would be jumping up and down with that graduation tube in his hands and screaming _I did it Obachan! Look! Look! I did it!_ The tears came now like a flood running down her face.

 _Dammit Ami! You really do know how to hurt me, don't you?_

.

 **Wednesday morning, March 16th – Sendai**

* * *

Noto was out of his depth and he knew it. Coming up with a plan to build a resort and recreation area was one thing, but reacting to the constantly changing environment of disaster recovery was not something he had ever anticipated. Everyone was looking to him now and he knew that a failure could mean people dying. He had considered turning the operations over to his most senior crewmen, but they had let him know early on that, skilled as they were with construction, they had no experience in disaster recovery work. A few of them even resented being thrust into this kind of situation. It was a bad feeling, having so much useful equipment and crewmen at his disposal, but not knowing how best to use them.

"Noto-sama." Shinako called to him.

 _I need help! But who can I turn to?_ Noto flipped through the notes he had made from countless conversations over the past few days. He had acquired several pages of contacts – people who would know what to do at a time like this. Unfortunately, everyone he had reached out to was already involved or… was unreachable.

"Noto-sama." Shinako called his name again and also brushed the hair out of his weary face.

"Shinako?" he finally reacted to her. He dreaded her telling him that another group of people had arrived to put even more demands on him. He didn't really mind the demands. He wanted to help more than anything in the world. But he wanted to tell them what he was screaming in his own mind, _I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!_

"Noto-sama, I have _good_ news for you this time." Shinako smiled warmly at her younger cousin.

"Oh?" Good news was certainly welcome, but recently the only good news he had heard had been in the vein of a minor logistics miracle. They had found enough fuel to keep the trucks working for another day, or a fresh water supply had arrived. These were good things to be sure, but what he really needed was something more… _Something that could make a bigger difference. Something that could give people hope… something that can give me hope._

"The Italians are here, Noto-sama." Shinako told him.

"The Italian is here?" Noto looked at her through dazed eyes and wondered, _Did we order pizza?_

"The Major is with them." Shinako added.

"The Major… with the Italians! You mean… THOSE Italians!" Noto shouted in excitement. Standing up from his desk and spinning around, he found himself facing three men and two women in red jumpsuits with the green, white, and red Italian flags on their shoulders. And among them, in his camouflage uniform was…

"Major Locke!" Noto knew that he was showing more relief at seeing the older man than he should as a representative of his family business. But he was nearing exhaustion and his emotions were raw.

"Hisamitsu-sama, allow me to introduce a few of the senior members of the Italian recovery team." The Major seemed a little stiff in his response. But that wasn't the only thing Noto picked up on.

"Hisamitsu-sama… not Noto-kun. So… are you here to ask something of me?" Noto asked with the happiness ebbing out of his words. Noto regarded The Major and saw that his question had hurt the older man that had become his friend. He regretted that, but he felt betrayed that even _this_ was turning into another request that he would have to figure out how to address.

"I'll understand if this is asking too much… Noto-kun. You see… these Italians have a lot of experience working relief efforts for areas hit by natural disasters. We were lucky to get them here as quickly as we did. But their equipment… will take some time to get here." The Major explained.

"I know of their record, you don't have to tell me about that." Noto said tersely. _Compared to them, I'm just an idiot that has some interesting toys that he doesn't deserve._ Noto realized he was having some unnecessary thoughts; he took a breath and calmed himself a bit. He knew that deep down this had to be as difficult for The Major as it was for him. Possibly more-so since The Major felt that he was asking a huge favor so soon after Noto had told him that he considered The Major, Yuri, and their son to be part of his family. "Just… tell me what you need."

"Everything." The Major decided not to mince words and tell Noto the truth of it.

"Everything?" Noto blinked as he repeated The Major's request.

"Two of your heavy equipment units are here, right?" The Major asked.

"Three, actually." Noto was proud of himself that he could surprise The Major, at least a little.

"Three? Impressive, Noto-kun. Well, the truth of it is that I am here to ask for you to place all of the local Hisamitsu heavy assets in the hands of the Italian Rescue and Recovery team." The Major expounded on what he had meant by _everything_. He was about to tell Noto that he regretted having to ask for something like this, and he would never have made this request if the need wasn't so dire. But Shinako spoke first.

"So, Major Lock… please correct me if I am wrong. You have brought with you the leadership of one of the world's most renown disaster recovery teams. The Italian Team, known even in Japan as being a world leader at what they do… Those very same Italians would like to make use of Hisamitsu Heavy Industry assets to save lives and restore vital services to the disaster stricken areas around Sendai. Is _that_ what I am hearing?" Shinako squeezed her cousin's hand as she made her parley.

"That… is… correct." The Major seemed confused. He had expected to have to negotiate or even beg for this favor, but Shinako made it sound like he was giving them a gift – rather than a request.

Noto looked at Shinako and knew what it was she was saying. Her eloquent words had been spoken to The Major, but he knew that he was the real target. She was handing him a golden opportunity. There was certainly no loss of face in handing over the company assets to one of the best recovery teams on the planet. He could go home now. He could go back to school when the next semester started up. But more importantly, he could return to Tokushima knowing that he had made the best decision for himself, his family, and for Japan. Or – he could let his ego take over and… _No, I am not that kind of fool. Shinako is right. This is what Yamada-san would call a win-win scenario._

"Do they speak Japanese?" Noto asked The Major.

"No, but they speak pretty good English." The Major replied.

Noto stepped forward and was about to bow but remembered what he had learned about western style greetings and stopped. Reaching out his arm, he shook hands with all five of the red suited Italians and said, #Thank you. All of you. The Major tells me that you need everything. Then that is what I will do. I am giving you _everything_. Please, with your knowledge and skills, use Hisamitsu Heavy Industries to save my people… and my country.#

#Your English is very good.# the elder woman of the group complimented Noto, then told him, #I appreciate the trust you are showing us. We will do our best to make sure you never regret this.#

#This didn't take as long as I thought it would.# The Major said in amazement as he watched Noto shake the hands of the people that he was handing his company's important assets over to. But the last man wasn't satisfied with just a handshake.

#That is because this young man is a fine example of a famous Italian saying: Quando l'amico chiede, non v'è domani!# with that said, the Italian pulled Noto close and kissed him on both cheeks.

#Ah! Yes… well… I should be contacting the crews to let them all know about this change.# Noto said as he took a few steps back from the group of smiling Italians. He knew that he was blushing fiercely but the foreigner's exuberant greeting had completely taken him by surprise. Looking to Shinako for some support, he realized he was on his own for the moment since her hand was over her face and her shoulders were shaking with her barely controlled laughter. _Et tu_ _Shinako?_

"Here Noto." The Major handed Noto a card with a small map and address on it. "If you can tell your managers to meet us here, we'll get things going immediately."

"Of course. I'll get right on that." Still a bit flustered, Noto bowed to them all and said in the formal _Japanese_ way, "Thank you very much!"

.

 **Thursday morning, March 17th – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

Obāsama hung up the phone and reached for her coffee. Unfortunately, she had finished the last of it several minutes ago while listening to Shinako give her report. Coincidentally, the report left her with a similar dissatisfaction as the empty coffee cup. Despite the optimistic spin that Shinako had put on the report, the Hisamitsu elder couldn't get over the feeling that Noto was coming home prematurely. She was well aware that he was eager to see his wife and children again, and that his classes would be starting up in another two weeks. But something about it... just didn't feel right.

A fluffy white ball of fur jumped onto her legs and immediately curled into a ball in her lap. Absentmindedly, Obāsama began petting the affectionate Angora while she thought about the situation in Sendai. She had been working herself up to a fret, thinking about Noto's decision to turn the three construction units over to a group of foreigners. But with every stroke of her old hand on the long silky fur of the purring feline, her inner turmoil seemed to calm down. Realizing what was happening, she stopped petting the cat and quietly fussed at him.

"You're on their side, aren't you? You damn little traitor." she mocked.

The cat noticed that the comforting petting had stopped and flicked his tail. Languidly, he looked up to see old woman's hand hovering overhead, but not petting him. He tilted his head and looked past the hand into the eyes of the old woman.

"I shouldn't be putting up with your shenanigans you know. I should call him right now and set him straight." Her hand started to move to the desk where her cell phone was laying, but the paws of the purring cat grabbed her around her wrist and pulled her hand down and onto his furry head.

This was something that he always did, when he wanted to let her know that he wasn't finished being petted yet. And it always worked. As stern as the old woman was with anyone else, she would always acquiesce to the demands of her cat.

"Maybe just a little while longer." Obāsama said through a wrinkled smile as her hand returned to the silky fur of her feline companion. And, with the reduced stress that resulted from this simple act, she also started to rethink the situation with Noto. The unease had never been a strong feeling. It hadn't even been strong enough for her to voice an objection when she had Shinako on the phone. But, after she finished that call and was alone with her thoughts, she had worked up quite an anxiety and could see all kinds of pitfalls and troubles that could arise from Noto's decision. Obāsama was calmer now though. She was still a little concerned, but no longer saw plots and conspiracies in every shadow. Pulling out her phone, she keyed a message to both Noto and Shinako.

Obāsama: You two have done a splendid job and have my gratitude for the honor that you have brought to the family name. I understand that you would like to come home as soon as possible, but would you consider staying long enough to meet with all the local politicos and make sure they are pleased with your arrangement.

Noto's response came back only a few minutes later.

Noto: Thank you for the advice, Obāsama. We will stay through the weekend. You should expect us back on Monday or Tuesday.

Obāsama: Very well. I will let your wife know, as soon as she gets back.

Noto: She isn't there?

Obāsama: No, she left with her two young friends yesterday to stay overnight at the mountain cabin. They should be returning later this morning.

Shinako: I am glad to hear that Maya-chan is feeling better.

Obāsama: Indeed, and I shall enjoy seeing her happiness when she hears that both of you will be returning soon.

"All right, are you happy now?" Obāsama said to the cat that had finished with it's petting and was stretching in preparation to jump out of the comfortable lap. Sure enough, he jumped down and slowly walked away as if his mission had been accomplished. Obāsama called out to him as he left the room, "You really are a traitorous little scamp." Then she remembered her empty coffee mug and decided to go make another cup.

As she opened the door to her office with her empty mug in her hand, a thought came to her that made her chuckle. _The little brat is probably waiting for me in the kitchen._

.

Far up the mountain from the Hisamitsu estate, three girls were enjoying a morning run. Well, that may be a bit of a lie – or at least an exaggeration. Minori was enjoying the run. Taiga was putting up with it. And poor Maya was gasping for air and struggling through cramping pain as she tried to keep up with her… friends.

 _Friends! Hah! If they were real friends, they wouldn't be trying to kill me._ Maya hadn't wanted to do this in the first place, but after an innocent comment the night before… she knew she had to. They were all in the cabin's large bath together when Taiga observed that Maya still appeared to be carrying her pregnancy weight around. She had tried to defend herself that this was normal, but they had pointed out that both Ami and Yuri-sensei had gotten back to their pre-pregnancy shape within two months of giving birth. They had accepted the excuse that the other two hadn't been carrying twins, but it still bothered Maya.

So, that was why she was now suffering excruciating agony as she plodded around the high mountain pasture. But the effort was worth it if she could achieve her goal. And the goal was worth it if she could return to being the attractive wife that her husband could be proud of. Concentrating on keeping up with the other two that had the benefit of being in athletic programs at their college, Maya realized that she really needed to accept the help that Hisako had been offering. Rejoicing that she could take a short break, she came to a stop at the fence where Minori and Taiga were leaning.

"Wow… what an incredible view." Taiga said as she looked out from the fence railing at the vista before her. The morning sun had not yet hit the valley below. It was still buried under the mists so that there was a sea of insubstantial gray filling the vales between the mountain they were on and the next mountainous range several kilometers away.

"Yeah… I… like… it… too." Maya said as she panted heavily to catch her breath.

"How are your boobs?" Minori asked.

Taiga spun on her best friend and was about to demand how she could ask such a question when Maya actually answered it.

"They're really... hurting. I don't... get it. I wore a... sport's bra." Maya was starting to breathe better, but the pain in her chest wasn't going away.

"You didn't express before we ran, did you?" Minori asked.

"No… I didn't think… it would be this bad." Maya admitted.

"Huh?" Taiga wondered what this was all about.

"Her boobs are engorged with milk and… it can be painful. The pain can be a lot worse when you are doing impact exercises, like running." Minori explained.

"Why do you know about that?" Taiga suspiciously poked a finger at Minori's breasts while she asked, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No, silly!" Minori batted Taiga's finger away then told her, "A couple of the senpai's on the team are having to deal with it."

"How bad is it?" Taiga asked Maya who looked to be almost in tears.

"I would gladly trade boobs with you, Taiga." Maya said as she winced from the pain.

"Ha! If you did, I wouldn't give them back. Then your kids would starve and Noto-kun would be following me around like a zombie!" Taiga joked.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" Maya cradled her breasts as she laughed at Taiga's joke. Unfortunately, the laughter only intensified the pain.

"Let's walk back from here. Or, do you need to express now?" Minori asked.

"That wouldn't gross you out?" Maya asked.

"No, I've seen it before from my senpai's. It's no big deal." Minori said encouragingly.

"Thanks!" Maya began struggling out of her sweater in anticipation of the relief she would soon be feeling.

Minori started to walk a little distance away to give Maya some privacy, but Taiga was fascinated with all of this. She had watched her mother breastfeed her little brother, but she had always used a blanket to hide everything away. Now, Taiga watched in fascination as thin streams of milk sprayed from Maya's nipples when she squeezed her breasts. The body temperature milk melted the snow where it sprayed.

"Heh. HAHAHA!" Taiga started laughing as she watched the snow melting under Maya's milk deluge.

"What?" Maya didn't see what was so funny about bending over and squeezing her boobs at the edge of this pasture.

"See!" Taiga pointed at the lines of melted snow that Maya had made, "Boys aren't the only ones that can write their names in the snow!"

In the valley down below, a few people could faintly hear what sounded like several girls laughing hysterically.

.

* * *

.

 **Glossary**

 **Quando l'amico chiede, non v'è domani** : When a friend asks, there is no tomorrow.


	9. Chapter 9 - Aw Dude!

**Friday late morning, March 18th – Melbourne, Australia**

* * *

The Melbourne Fashion Festival was officially over and Ryuuji had also called an end to their stage performances. If it hadn't been for the predatory press, they would have tried to put on a few more concerts. Dealing with such adversities was something that both Ami and Hisako were used to, but they weren't the only ones that Ryuuji was responsible for. Suzume and Umeko were both in high school – and they might have been tough enough to deal with unruly reporters. But, since their lead singer was a grade schooler, neither Ryuuji nor their Australian hosts wanted to take a chance with their safety. But the press wasn't the only problem.

They were all running out of steam. Even before the disastrous events of March the eleventh, Ryuuji had put them all on a fairly aggressive performance schedule. Then, with all the charity events they had been invited to, constantly being on the move from venue to venue had taken it's toll. Deena's contacts at DFAT had apologized for not putting them on the first flight back to Japan, but they hadn't anticipated the fall out from the results of the group's accelerated schedule. Neither had anyone anticipated the attention they would be getting after the natural disasters that had occurred back in Japan while they were away.

For that reason, Deena's superiors had moved them all to a more remote location out near Cape Schanck. Still technically in the Melbourne area, it was outside the city and near the small continent's southern beaches that faced the Bass Strait. Famous for it's golf courses, it was considered remote from the standpoint of being far away from any entertainment venues where they might perform. For the moment, that was exactly what they needed. The quiet and slow pace of the place helped everyone to finally relax and start getting some much needed rest.

Ryuuji knew that they were not recovered yet. But it was a start. Tensions had been mounting, nerves were starting to fray. And it wasn't just the younger ones that were affected. Sure, everyone was concerned about Aiko-chan's health, but he could see the weariness in the faces of the adults as well. The memory of his mother falling ill when she was trying to hold down too many jobs was still a strong memory for him. One that he had recalled when he made the decision to have the group take a much needed break.

And now, after only one day of that much needed rest, a single phone call had him thinking of pulling everyone into another project. _The timing and opportunity of the offer are_ _pretty_ _amazing… if only everyone wasn't on the edge of exhaustion._

Nanako found Ryuuji at the suite's table, tapping his pencil against the small notebook he had been using to keep track of the group's many engagements. Even though they were on a break, he was still working for everyone's benefit while his charges seemed to be moving like zombies. _You need to take some time to relax too, you big idiot._ Nanako thought while she had the machine in the kitchen make her a carafe of coffee.

Ryuuji too thought that everyone was starting to look like lifeless characters from a horror movie. That was one of the reasons he had been tempted to turn down the rather interesting offer. Next to the notepad was his empty coffee mug and, for the moment, that was the louder of the voices calling to him. Taking the cup in hand, he started to get up from the table.

"AH!" Ryuuji was shocked to see Nanako sitting just across the table and… watching him. Thinking he was alone in the suite's main room, he asked, "Where did you come from?"

"I've been here a while." Nanako smiled impishly and hefted a carafe of coffee. Moving it over to where Ryuuji was holding his mug she asked, "You got another offer didn't you?"

"Yeah." he admitted. He had started to hide the notepad, but it was obviously too late. Even considering another engagement with everyone so worn out, made him feel guilty.

"Are you considering it?" she asked while pouring the coffee.

"We'd need to pack up and leave tonight… I'm tempted to turn it down." Ryuuji said as he watched the rich aromatic coffee fill his mug halfway up. But Nanako stopped pouring when it got to that level.

"Why?" Nanako asked. She left the question vague. _Why are you tempted to turn it down? Why were you considering the offer in the first place? Why did I stop pouring when the cup was still half empty? Or, is it half full?_

"It would mean more flights and more work and… I don't know if everyone has the energy for it any more." Ryuuji worried.

"Are you sure everyone would see it that way? Sure we are all tired, but aren't the things we're doing amazing? Think about it… these are the things that make memories that we'll remember for a lifetime." Nanako suggested.

"I suppose…" Ryuuji replied as if it were a new idea, but it was actually what was making him worry. It all sounded like fun and games, but in their exhausted and worn-out state… he was concerned about someone getting injured or sick.

"You're worried about us, aren't you?" Nanako asked.

"Yeah…" he was about to go into the details of his worry, but Nanako wasn't waiting for that… or wasn't interested.

"Surely there is another option besides turning it down and leaving immediately." Nanako suggested.

"Another… option?" Ryuuji wondered what Nanako might be thinking. What could she have found that he had missed? Recalling the conversation, the company representative said he could have someone there to pick them up in the afternoon, but he needed an answer within the hour. _So, I have an hour to decide whether we should rush now and make the pickup time… or decline the offer. Two choices. Start packing to leave in a few hours, or don't go at all… Waitaminit…_

Ryuuji knew he was missing something. He looked up at Nanako and saw her patient smile as she watched him think it through. Her delicate fingers barely touched the sides of her coffee cup while she quietly watched and waited for him to find a new solution.

 _Today or not at all. But… what if we didn't leave today? Could they do this a couple of days from now? And, if we did that… YES!_ Ryuuji's eyes opened wide and he seized his cell phone. There would only be one call if he couldn't make this work, but there would be many if all were agreed. He didn't mind though. He was giving his English language skills a real-world work out and making something interesting happen too. He only hoped he was doing something that would make the girls happy.

.

Ami came into the suite's common area and found Nanako seated at the table and gazing out the big window that faced the ocean view. She was peeling an orange and had a serene smile on her face. Her curiosity piqued at what Nanako found so interesting, Ami turned to look out the window and saw Ryuuji on the balcony. And he looked… good! Her heart skipped a beat while her mind struggled to burn the image into her memory.

He was talking on the phone to someone, but that wasn't what had made her pause. He was wearing the black satin robe with the silver dragons. The sea breeze was tousling his hair and billowing his robe while he stood there against the backdrop of tree tops, a distant sandy shore, and the blue on blue horizon of the southern sea. Rays of sunlight mottled the land and sea under scattered clouds in a hypnotic pattern behind Ryuuji. The horizon was at his waist where her eyes were now, and she blushed when she wondered if there was enough wind out there to accidentally open his robe. With that naughty thought on her mind, her gaze swept up his muscular body until she got to his face and realized… he was looking back at her. "Eep!"

"Ami?" Nanako's voice surprisingly sounded from next to her.

"Ah… Nanako?" Ami had forgotten that she wasn't the only person in the room. Trying to recover from being caught, she hurriedly commented, "Nice view isn't it?"

"Yes… yes it is." Nanako said dreamily.

 _Huh?_

Ami turned to look at Nanako for a moment and wondered if she was enchanted with the ocean view, or the view of her husband. She had a sudden urge to ask the purple haired girl about it, but part of her didn't want to create any unnecessary friction.

"He's out there making a deal for us to get a little more work while we're here." Nanako said passively.

"Oh?" Ami wasn't thrilled to hear that. She was tired of the treadmill they had been on since their arrival – and she suspected everyone else was too. There was something else in Nanako's statement that got to her as well. _Us… whadayamean, us? You guys have it easy compared to those of us that are here to work!_ She wanted to demand. But that wasn't as true on this trip, as it had been in the past when they went to Hawaii… or some of the other places. This trip wasn't a vacation for their friends this time. Parent, teacher, and friends had all been pulled in to help with both the fashion shows, and the concert performances. And, to be honest with herself, Ami knew that Nanako had been especially hard working. In addition to performing in the shows, she had also taken on the responsibility of preparing all of their costumes and performance modified garments.

"Don't worry. He knows how tired we are." Nanako commented as she pushed a saucer with a cup of coffee, and a peeled orange over to Ami.

"I guess." Ami sounded dissatisfied as she went back to looking at Ryuuji while slowly stirring some cream into her coffee.

Ami's tone tingled Nanako's senses and she raised an eyebrow at her blue haired friend. Without staring at Ami, she glanced over at the bluenette's brooding profile and saw the tell tales of frustration. She didn't wonder about it long before she thought she knew what was bothering Ami. Feeling a slyness that she tried not to show in her expression or tone, Nanako casually commented, "He sure is wonderful to be trying so hard for all of us."

"Yeah… he's like that." Ami conceded and she knew it was a nice complement. But, for some reason, she wasn't too happy about it.

"As a _manager_ , he's done a good job of making sure everyone was taken care of. Nobody can complain that he's the type to be… _playing favorites_. Don't you think?" Nanako pushed as she slowly turned to watch Ami more intently now.

"Yeah." Ami agreed with that too. She wondered why the _playing favorites_ part of what Nanako just said made her feel disappointed.

"He really is _everybody's Ryuuji_ , isn't he?" Nanako asked the rhetorical question and watched as Ami's head snapped around and glared at her.

Ami didn't know why she was suddenly so pissed off, but she really wanted to yell at Nanako. However, her fierceness didn't catch Nanako by surprise at all. Nanako was watching… waiting for her to react. And worst of all, it looked like Nanako knew _everything_ while Ami was still at a loss to understand her own feelings.

"Say it." Nanako prodded Ami quietly.

"Say… what?" Ami felt like a volcano that was on the verge of erupting from too much stress and frustration. The stress, she could understand. But the frustration was what was making her temple throb. She felt frustrated with Ryuuji. She was also frustrated with Nanako and even with herself. But, worst of all, she didn't know _why_ she was feeling so frustrated. The confusion was evident on Ami's face – along with the frustration.

"Oh Ami," Nanako sympathetically reached out and took her friend's hand, "You've tried to leave that old silly selfish airhead persona behind a little too completely. It's okay for you to be selfish about _some_ things, you know."

"But…" Ami wasn't sure she fully understood where Nanako was going with this. But it did feel like her friend understood what was wrong.

"Now, I'll ask it again. And this time, you need to let out your _real_ response. Even if you think it sounds selfish, you still need to say it. Will you promise me that you won't hold back this time?" Nanako said as she looked deep into Ami's violet eyes.

"Yes!" Ami could feel the tension building inside her and she wondered if she would be able to hold anything back even if she wanted to. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, she was afraid now. Ami was afraid that Nanako might be wrong and unable to help her figure out what had been bothering her after all. At the same time she was worried that it might be something terrible. But the confidence in Nanako's sage-like smile gave her hope.

"All right, here we go." Nanako clasped both of Ami's hands and gave her a gentle squeeze as she repeated the question she had asked before, "He really is _everybody's Ryuuji_ , isn't he?"

"Yes…" Ami thought for a moment that Nanako had not understood after all. Surely, there must be more to this discontented feeling. But Nanako's smile broadened even as Ami could feel her own tears sliding down her cheeks. Then, as suddenly as the tears had started, the words came out of her mouth – straight from the heart, "No… he's not! I don't want him to be _everybody's Ryuuji_. I… I want him to be mine!"

"Good." Nanako said as she let go of Ami's hands and turned to gaze out the big picture windows once again. "Now, go out there and let him know that."

.

Not long after Ami and Ryuuji disappeared from the balcony to go find one of the hotel's hot tubs, Hisako walked into the common living area and found Nanako alone at the table. Thinking it odd that no-one else was up yet, she was thinking about sneaking up on her girlfriend when Nanako sighed her name.

"Oh Hisako-chan… you're not too worn out, are you?" Nanako said airily while laying her head down on the table as if she were going to nap there. Her head was turned to face her tall girlfriend, but her long purple hair was splayed out on the table in beautiful lines and swirls.

"Uh… no, I guess not. Why? Are you okay?" Hisako worried a bit. Her Nanako was scary courageous, but she never had an impressive stamina. _If she were to get sick…_

"I'm okay. I'm just feeling really lazy right now. And yet, I want to take a bath. I wonder…" without raising her head from the cold wood of the table, Nanako said idly – yet suggestively, "I wonder if there isn't someone who would carry me off from here and… bathe me?"

 _Bathe! Bath! Nanako in the bath! Bathe Nanako! YES!_

Hisako blushed hard as a parade of passionate memories flooded her mind. Of course the memory of their time in the big bath at the Kawashima house flashed through her mind first. Followed by the smaller bath at the Hisamitsu townhouse in Tokushima. And the pool sized bath at the Hisamitsu estate. And… come to think of it, there had been a lot of memories with her beautiful little Nanako in baths and onsens. Each time, it seemed to start with a comment from Nanako and a lot of blushing from Hisako.

Not that a lot of blushing would impair Hisako. Given this splendid opportunity, it wouldn't even slow her down. Not even a little bit.

Nanako felt herself suddenly lifted into strong arms and face to face with her girlfriend while she was held in a close princess carry. She smiled and laid her head on Hisako's shoulder while she quietly murmured, "You always know what I want."

"Nanako… you tease me too much." Hisako pouted even as she started off for the suite's big bath with her lover in her arms.

"Do you hate it?" Nanako asked playfully.

"No… You know that I don't." Hisako continued to pout.

"Well, in that case – I feel that I should tell you that I'm feeling particularly dirty. So, I'm going to need you to wash me very… very… thoroughly." Nanako emphasized the last three words with a kiss on Hisako's neck near her ear. Each of the kisses getting closer to her ear until the tall model could feel Nanako's breath and a gentle lick – up the edge of her earlobe.

Hisako's eyes opened wide and she made a little gasp as the feel of electricity coursed down her spine to her toes and back up again in an instant.

 _Whirrfle!_ Hisako held Nanako a little tighter and moved a little faster on her way to the anticipated comfort of the big bath. If anyone else had seen them at that moment, they would have sworn they saw steam venting from Hisako's ears.

.

A few hours later and everyone was finally crawling out of bed, or returning from an… exhilarating distraction. Either way, they were all up and looking forward to some food when Deena arrived. All of the others could rest, but her position was more like poor Ryuuji's. She was here to work too, and her work didn't end with the finale of the fashion show. Until her friends were safely on an airplane to take them back to Japan, she continued her role as liaison for her government's _Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade_.

"DEEEENA!" Aiko-chan shrieked as soon as the Australian woman walked in from the suite's entrance. The young girl ran into the arms of her tall blond friend, fully expecting to be swept up into the air for a big hug. Happily, Deena didn't let her down at all. But today, she was going to give Aiko-chan more than just a hug.

"Aiko-chan!" Deena swooped the little girl up and tickled her while she held her close.

Aiko-chan's anticipated hug turned into a fit of squeals and laughter as her body squirmed and wriggled to get away from Deena's devilish fingers. The peal of Aiko-chan's laughter got everyone fully awake and made them smile a little more. Yuri was watching with a big smile and wondering at how wonderful it was to still be so young, when she heard a voice behind her that made her freeze in panic.

"Oooooh, that looks like fun!" Yasuko looked like someone had just given her a festively wrapped gift as she moved in behind the frozen teacher. And yet, even if Yuri had tried to escape, she never would have been able to move fast enough to avoid Yasuko's attack. Only a fraction of a second passed before Yuri's body went rigid from the touch of Yasuko's fingers along her sensitive ribs.

"AAAAIIIIEEEEEEEEE!" the teacher cried out while everyone around her laughed at her antics with Onee-chan. It was a bit of a repeat of what they had done in several of the performances over the last ten days. As much as it made Yuri blush and struggle to escape, the little attack was a huge crowd pleaser for all the audiences that had gathered to watch their performances. And, unfortunately for the poor teacher, she wasn't developing any immunity to it.

However, Yasuko never kept it up for long. As soon as everyone was laughing, or at least smiling, she pulled the giggling and panting teacher down into her lap and held her until she got her breath back. She called out to everyone else in the room, "I just love it when everyone's happy!"

"Onee-chan is too mean to me." Yuri mewled, but was obviously enjoying being held and pampered by the buxom blond.

"No I'm not sweetie." Yasuko admonished the pouting adult as if she were a child, "I always take care to stop before you wet yourself."

"Ah!" Yuri hid her face in her hands at the idea. She was close to defending herself that she would never do such a thing, but there was the very real fear that Yasuko might want to put that claim to a practical test. And there was the horrifying possibility that… Yasuko could actually do it.

"If I could have everyone's attention." Ryuuji called out to the room full of friends. "I need to talk to you about… another offer we just got."

"What?" Deena looked a little stunned and a little angry, "This isn't about flying out to Brisbane, is it?"

"What's wrong, Deena-chan?" Aiko-chan asked. She was concerned that her friend sounded upset about something. "Is there something wrong with that place?"

"It's not that far is it?" Yasuko remembered seeing the name on a map in the first hotel they stayed in, "It's just up the coast, isn't it?"

"Onee-chan," Deena said gently, "It's about the same distance as Sapporo to Fukuoka. You could almost fit all of the main islands of Japan between Brisbane and Melbourne."

"Oh!" Yasuko's eyes opened wide. It was hard for her to remember that the size of a map could be very similar, but the scale of the map was the important thing in understanding the distances between places. But when Deena put it into terms she was more familiar with, she understood.

"Why is that a problem?" Ami asked, "We'll be flying much farther than that when we go home."

"I think I know." Ryuuji stepped back into the conversation. Although his gangster-ish face made it look like he was mad, his voice told them that he understood and even appreciated Deena's concern. "She's worried about us. She thinks we're all worn out… and we are."

Hisako bristled at the idea of turning down work. She was ready to defend the offer, but she had to think about people other than herself. She didn't want to cause any pain to her precious friends, and certainly not to the small, purple-haired one she was still holding in her lap.

"Don't worry, Deena. I told them how tired we were and they understood. We won't be flying out to Brisbane until Monday. We have the whole weekend to relax." Ryuuji promised.

"The weekend to relax… before what?" Suzume asked.

"There's an Australian company that's making a new kind of airplane… or boat. Anyway, they want us to help them make a commercial for a Japanese audience. They can't pay a lot, but they will use their video gear to make some music videos for us."

"I don't know..." Suzume said, "I don't think a music video at an airport will be all that interesting."

"It won't be at an airport. These boat-plane things take off from the water. They're going to fly us out to some remote islands. From what he said, it's supposed to be a lot like the beach shoot we did in Hawaii." Ryuuji was hoping to get everyone interested by mentioning that trip. Many of them had been with him on the Hawaii shoot and there were good memories from that time, but it would mean adding several more days to their trip. Still, he thought this excursion was a good opportunity. But, if no-one was interested, he was also willing to cancel the whole thing.

Many of them looked stunned and he couldn't tell whether it was a good or bad kind of stunned. But there was one in the group whose expression was never hard to read – she was practically bouncing with excitement and not the least bit stunned.

"Ryu-chan, are you saying that we get to go to the beach!" his mother cheered. Her enthusiasm was infectious as always and soon there were several excited looks coming his way. But Yasuko seemed to be interested in more than just a beach, "I mean… a real sandy beach on a _South Pacific_ island?

"Um, yeah. They are islands in the South Pacific." Ryuuji wondered at his mother's hysteria. Then he noticed Yuri-sensei with an equally excited look.

"We positively _have_ to go!" Yuri insisted breathlessly.

"Oh… okay." Ami was surprised by Yasuko and Yuri's sudden fanaticism and wondered what was going on. She looked around at the others and discovered that everyone else was as puzzled as she was at their excitement. She noticed that it was only the eldest of their group that seemed so enamored with the idea of going to a _South Pacific_ island. _If my mother were here, I wonder if she would be… OF COURSE!_ Thinking of her mother made her remember some of the movies that Kawashima Anna had starred in when she was younger. She had been in all kinds of movies, but there had been several romantic movies set in the south pacific.

"So Ryuuji-sama, this boat-plane thing. What do they call it?" Suzume asked since it sounded like they would be going after all. She still had the urge to go home and see her sister, but Yasuko's excitement was filling the room with energy and she was caught up in it as well.

"Heh, well… believe it or not, they call it a WIG." Ryuuji said the last word in English but it was a word that all of them knew… or thought they knew.

"A wig?" a chorus of disbelieving voices battered him for his bizarre answer.

.

 **Friday late morning, March 18th – Sendai, Japan**

* * *

In the less devastated areas around the city, lines of people were everywhere. Some had escaped the devastation of the tsunami with whatever they had in their car. Many more had escaped with only what they were wearing at the time. They had lost their possessions and much more. Many of them had lost their homes to damage that was so severe, the structures were no longer safe to enter. Others had lost their homes completely. In the places where homes, schools, stores, and places of work once stood, there was nothing there but a pile of rubble and debris – or just the slab of a foundation where a home used to be.

So people stood in lines for help in getting the essentials of survival. Shelter, water, and food were in great need. The situation wasn't as bad as it had been several days before – help had been arriving from the rest of Japan, and from the rest of the world. But the _other_ need was now playing out in meeting places across the devastated areas. It was to be the saddest need, and one that sometimes… could not be resolved.

This was the need to find missing family and friends. And consequently, to identify the dead. The tragedy seemed to have been particularly hard on the children and the elderly. But they were not the only ones. Even now, Noto could feel the raw emotions as he walked past a gathering of people trying to see the notices on a hastily erected bulletin board. Afraid to look, but also needing to know, scores of people crowded the boards to read the names of people reaching out to find each other… and the names of the recently identified deceased. It was true that those same names would soon be on several social media and aid sites, but there were many that were without the luxury of a working cell phone. So they gathered and read the notices with hope and fear. Some would suddenly shout for joy while others would cover their faces to hide the tears.

Even the foul smell in the air reflected the conditions that the survivors had to face. Waste treatment systems had been overrun by the tsunami, and the flood waters spread the raw sewage all over the land. There had been many fires that had set alight things that were unpleasant to burn. Petrochemicals, tires, plastics… the acrid odor stuck to everything. Fish, and other creatures of the sea had been washed ashore to perish when the waters receded. Their rotting corpses added to the stench that settled over the wide valley. Many people could be seen moving about with cloth wrapped around their faces to give them some protection from the malodorous reek. But there was nothing to protect their eyes from the images of rotting debris and… the occasional discovery of another body as the ruin and rubble was slowly cleared away.

Most of the survivors that had stayed in the area were involved with helping in the clean-up or the ongoing searches. Sadly, no-one was calling it search- _and-rescue_ any more. A week had passed since the deadly flood waters had come and gone. Rarely was anyone found still alive at this point. So the effort had moved into search-and- _identify_. But still, there were those that held out hope that they would find their missing loved ones.

"My beautiful city." one of the prominent elder citizens was almost in tears as she looked out at the piles of refuse and reek where once stood the eastern half of the city. The rooftop of a vacant school building was being used by the emergency government due to it's view of the ravaged land. From there, the dignitaries and their guests could see all the way down to the sea where the waves continued to wash debris up onto the shores.

Noto also took in the scene. He had never been to Sendai before this, but he knew the city hadn't looked anything like the vista laid out before him now. _Three or four years._ That's what the Italians had told him to say whenever someone asked about a full recovery and clean-up. But Noto didn't believe it would be possible in that amount of time… if ever. Reflecting the intelligence and diligence of the bright student he had always been, Noto had made some investigations into the kind of tectonic activity that would create the tsunami that had caused all this devastation. What he learned, did not inspire optimism.

"It will be rebuilt. I'm sure of it." another voice said encouragingly.

But Noto wasn't sure of that. He suspected that when the surveys were done and the facts were released, there would be two startling revelations that people would have to deal with. The first, which would be interesting but wouldn't cause too much concern, would be that the entire nation of Japan would have moved several meters to the east of where it had previously been. The second and more problematic issue would be that the main island's eastern coastline would be lower than it had been previously. And a lower coastline would mean that the area would now be _more_ prone to flooding than it had been.

"Can it ever be put back to the way it was?" the elder lamented.

"No. We shouldn't do that." Noto said as he considered all the options that lay before them now. Several people looked at him in surprise, but he kept his focus on the distant sea and told them, "What is important now, is that we understand how this happened – and build intelligently. The devastated parts of Sendai shouldn't be rebuilt… they should be built anew, and in such a way that this kind of thing can never happen again."

"Can such a thing be done? Can we rebuild so that we are flood-proof?" an elder asked.

"Probably not." Noto admitted, but more hopefully told them, "But flood- _resistant_ is an achievable goal. That is something I think we can do."

"How?" someone asked.

"I don't know that answer. But we will find it." Noto said with certainty.

"How can you know that?"

"Because we are Japanese." Noto was barely able to suppress a prideful smile from what was running through his mind just then. He hoped he could put his thoughts and emotions into convincing words as he told them, "The cities of our ancestors used to burn to the ground. So we found ways to make fire-resistant cities. Then our first skyscrapers crumbled when we had earthquakes. Instead of never building skyscrapers again, we invented ways to make those tall buildings resistant to damage from earthquakes. Overcoming such disasters is nothing new to us. We'll ask the Dutch how they protect Holland from flooding. We'll ask the Americans what they did to keep New Orleans from drowning again. Bangladesh, London, Jakarta… we'll see how they deal with their flood issues. That is how we should rebuild Sendai."

He turned to them and saw the looks on their faces. Some seemed angry, others shamed. But there were many that looked like they were giving Noto's words a great deal of thought. Noto believed in what he had said, but still felt that he might have been a little to rough with their wounded and raw emotions. "I'm sorry if I misspoke." he said, and offered them all a formal bow.

"Young man… do you have a vision for what should be done?" the elder asked him.

"I do not. Nor do I believe that I should push my ideas here – even if I had any. It… is not my place." Noto told them.

"What do you mean?" another elder asked.

"I am Hisamitsu Noto. I am here representing Hisamitsu Heavy Industries. We are here to help in any way we can. And, if you choose to have us assist with recreating your city, we would welcome your business. But, we are not here to cast blame for what has happened, or tell you what you should do in the future. The vision for rebuilding Sendai should be _from_ Sendai. It should reflect the people of Sendai and their values… their spirit."

"Well said, Hisamitsu-san." said one of the elders who had been deep in thought. Some of the them nodded in agreement while others were still too stunned or too angry to agree with anything.

"We must be off soon, Noto-sama." Shinako said quietly.

Noto nodded and excused himself from the group. He waited until he and Shinako were clear of the building before asking her, "Do you think I went too far?"

"Do _you_ think you went too far?" Shinako countered the question with the same question.

"I know what _I_ think. But as my assistant, I want to know what _you_ think." Noto countered her counter.

"I am also here as your evaluator, so _I_ need to know what _you_ think." Shinako countered his counter-counter.

"Pah! I guess you're right." Noto thought about it for a moment and told her, "I wanted to tell them more sternly that they should not simply rebuild. But, considering their emotions, I worried that if I were to be more forceful, they would become defensive and wouldn't listen to anything I had to say."

"Very good." Shinako smirked at her younger cousin, "Those were my thoughts as well."

"Awww DUDE!" an anguished voice cried out from a group of people nearby. Noto stopped in his tracks and started to look around in wonder.

"Noto-sama?" Shinako asked as she too stopped.

"That voice… it can't be… can it?" Noto finally spotted the source of the familiar exclamation.

The haggard man was wearing filthy, shabby clothes. His hair was matted and clumping together as if he were trying to go for the 'dreadlocks' look, and as Noto took a few steps closer, he discovered that the man stank like he had just finished crawling through some of the more fetid piles of debris.

Shinako trailed a few paces behind Noto as he walked toward the unkempt man. Even at this distance, the smell coming from the man was enough that she had to put a cloth over her nose and mouth. Shinako could see that the filthy man was focused on the notices that had been put up and hadn't yet noticed their approach. Noto abruptly stopped at the last moment and turned back to his cousin.

"Shinako-san, please proceed to our next meeting and let them know that I will be a little late." Noto bade her. He knew that she was there to observe him, but she was also there as his assistant and he hoped that she would understand and give him this time.

Shinako could see the hurt in her cousin's eyes for this person. After a moment of consideration, she took at her planner and told him, "You have two hours before your next meeting back at the hotel. I shall await you there."

"Thank you, Shinako-san." Noto gave her a brief bow then turned back to look at his old friend.

Shinako wondered at her cousin for a moment before turning away. She admired his loyalty and empathy but worried that those qualities might get in the way of the years of work that lay before him. _Somehow... I believe he will be able to manage it._

"Haruta?" Noto asked as he drew near the man.

.

Haruta was stunned. He heard his name called by a voice he hadn't heard in a long, long time. It was a voice that brought back memories of family vacations, his high school years, and... happier times. He wanted to believe his old friend was here too, but the last week had been pretty tough for him and he knew it could have been a hallucination. Just in case, he called out to that voice, "Noto?"

"I'm over here." Noto called back from beyond the crowd of people.

Haruta gazed over the heads of the other people gathered around the little community bulletin board and saw Noto. His old friend looked clean and healthy. He was wearing nice clothes... actually, nicer clothes than Haruta had ever seen him in. He still looked young, but no longer the 'kid' that he had been. Not in those clothes. The fabric was expensive, the cut was tailored, and the suit veritably screamed 'business man!' And yet... it was Noto nonetheless.

"How..." Haruta asked as he pushed his way through the crowd to get to his friend.

"My grandmother has me here representing family business. But... what are _you_ doing here?" Noto asked.

"I... I..." The cheer left Haruta's face as Noto's question made him remember his troubles. "I can't find them, Noto. I can't..."

"Who, Haruta?" Noto now stood only a meter from his bedraggled friend, "Who can't you find?"

"My Uncle and... my wife. I can't find them." Haruta was barely able to say the words. Just saying it was almost impossible since it was just a few thoughts away from admitting, _I've lost them_. A shiver ran through Haruta's body as he once again tried to deny the possibility that was becoming more likely with each passing day. He looked up with a haunted expression that Noto had never seen on his friend before.

"Haruta... let's talk."

.

 **Saturday afternoon, March 19th – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

There was a sweetness from the gentle breeze that wafted up from the valleys below. Since Shikoku was further south than Honshu or Hokkaido, the trees, bushes, and other plants were already green and flowering with the coming of spring. Higher up, where the trail meandered down from the mountain cabin where the girls had been staying, green had not yet made it's re-appearance, but it was perfect riding weather and the scenery was beautiful. The sun's rays illuminated the snow capped hills and colorful valleys as far as the eyes could see. Unfortunately, no-one was enjoying this beauteous splendor that nature had wrought.

Minori rode beside Maya when she could. Sometimes the trail was too narrow and Minori would fall back to watch her suffering friend. They had put straps on her to make sure she didn't fall from her saddle, but Minori was still concerned. She had never felt the kind of pain Maya was in now, but she thought she could imagine it, and it wasn't anything she ever wanted to experience for herself.

Maya's breasts were full again and they didn't want to _let down_. And if they didn't let down, there was no way to relieve the pressure… and the pain, from her overfull breasts. Every step the horse took felt like jarring horrific pain that started in her breasts and reverberated through her chest and back. They had thought of dismounting and slowly walking back to the estate, but that would take a long time and Maya's breasts were a little more full with each passing minute. Instead, they made their way down as quickly as they could, and hoped that Taiga would soon be back from the estate with help. Still, Minori wished there was something she could do to help her miserable friend.

"Um… maybe if I rode on the horse with you and held your breasts so they didn't bounce as much?" Minori suggested.

"Hah… ouch!" Maya winced after her brief laugh at imagining what that would look like, "Please… don't make me laugh. That hurts too."

"Sorry." Minori said softly. The suggestion hadn't actually been a joke, but she too blushed a little when she imagined herself riding on the back of Maya's horse. Reaching around her friend to hold onto her heavy, milk-filled orbs… did paint a pretty strange picture after all. "I guess… the best we can do now is move as quickly as we can and hope that Taiga comes back soon."

"Yeah… I guess so." Maya replied, but she wasn't putting a lot of hope in it. She knew it was entirely possible that Obāsama wouldn't allow Taiga's plan. _After all, the safety of the Hisamitsu heirs was of utmost importance to…_

"Hey, do you hear hoof-beats?" Minori asked.

.

Taiga rode in the lead with Kawashima Anna not far behind her and Takasu Ojiisan bringing up the rear. Taiga had the lead position for a number of reasons – she knew the way, she was the better rider, and her horse was the strongest. But Taiga also knew part of that was a lie, and it worried her. Her horse would normally be the strongest of the lot, but she had just ridden him pretty hard to quickly get down the mountain for help and he hadn't had much rest before they were heading back up again. Sure, the distances weren't all that far, but he was an old retired horse… and she didn't know how much more of this hard riding he could take. It suddenly occurred to her that she had never really worried if she had been driving Ryuuji too hard… back then.

 _You're my dog, so you'll do as your master demands!_

Taiga's stomach heaved with the memory of the things she used to say to Ryuuji. _Ugh… did I really say those things to him? I really would like to forget that ever happened. But… he fell in love with me despite all the abuse so… it was his own fault._ _He can't blame me if he… if he…_

 _Mongrel. My dog! Baka!_

Taiga shook her head to shake the moisture from her eyes and give her back her clear vision. _Those aren't tears. I'm just sweating from this hard ride. Yeah. I hope_ _Midnight Star_ _is okay._ Taiga patted the horses neck as they continued the charge up the trail.

 _...you never called and you never answered! Even after he gave up on calling you… as he wasted away… dying right in front of all of us… You could have saved him with three words._

Minori's words from that awful day came back to her again. Initially, she had hated her friend for saying such terrible things to her. Later that same day, after seeing the pictures of the terrible state of depression that Ryuuji had sunk into, she understood her friend's anger. But only recently had it really sunk in that the only one to blame for everything going wrong… was herself. And now, as she rode up the trail as quickly as her equestrian skill allowed, that understanding was reinforced by another realization. _I called him a dog and treated him indifferently._ _I loved Ryuuji… I still do. But I never thought of how it might hurt him when I left. I thought… he would be there when I came back… unchanged. He would still have that stupid grin on his face and he'd still be living in that crappy little house. And he'd be waiting for me… like a loyal dog. Now, I'm worried about this horse. Sure, I cared for Ryuuji… but I never worried about him as much as I'm worried about this horse._ _Why? Why didn't I think more about his feelings? Why didn't I worry about him more? Why didn't I treat him better… than a dog?_

Midnight Star whinnied as they made their way up another rise and a straight and level path was before them. He liked this better than the climbing and was ready to charge headlong down the trail. His whinny served to let his rider know that he was ready to leap into a running stride… if she was.

Taiga's attention came back to the moment and she saw what Midnight Star wanted her to see. She leaned forward just a bit and squeezed him with her thighs… and that was all the signal that the well trained horse needed. Hind legs uncoiled as if powerful springs were restrained no longer – and they were off. The wind raced through his mane and her hair. Nearby scenery flew past like a blur. Horse and rider were one in the brisk gallop along the mountain path. Both of them felt the rush of adrenaline from the run, and the thrill of achieving the sensation of unity that comes from the mutual trust and affection between the rider and the horse. Exhilarating but brief, they got to the end of the run all too soon. Taiga slowed them both down for the switchback and next climb. She knew he didn't want to… and she felt it too. They both wanted a wide open field where he could run, and perhaps the field could have a few low fences where he could jump and they could embrace that momentary feeling of flight together.

But those were dreams that might never be realized. His youth was gone and with it – much of his former vitality. Days of jumping the rails, long runs, and proud competitions were in his past. Taiga knew this, and she felt it in a way that had never touched her heart before. When she was younger, she had learned about the life cycle of a horse. She knew that they grew up quickly from being a colt, had a few years of peak performance, and were then… retired. But it had all been academics back then. All the horses that she had trained with had been in their prime. Whether she was asking too much of them had never been an issue… had never been a worry… like it was now. She could hear his labored breathing from his open mouth and see the sheen of sweat on his coat. She knew she was asking much of him… and it worried her.

 _Heh…_ _I'_ _m still_ _worrying about this horse more than I ever worried about Ryuuji._ Taiga criticized herself even as she reached up and patted Midnight Star's neck with the thanks and affection of a thankful rider. There was a change in his movement and it seemed that he was trying even harder for her now. Taiga could sense this and suddenly felt defensive about her feelings as she thought, _Well… he is a really splendid horse, after all._

.

"Taiga!" Minori cried out when she saw her diminutive friend crest the rise a dozen meters in front of her. She noticed that both Taiga and her horse looked out of breath, but they also seemed to glow as if they had just won a contest of some kind.

"Minorin. Maya. Kawashima-san and Takasu Ojiisan are right behind me." Taiga said as she dismounted and started loosening the straps on Midnight Star.

"Did you bring the babies?" Minori asked while she also dismounted and started to help Maya down from her horse.

"Sort of..." Taiga explained, "Kiku-chan is a little colicky, so we brought Ayame-chan and… Tatsuya-kun. Is that okay?"

"Yes, that will be fine!" Maya grunted as another spasm of pain wracked through her chest and back. Her eldest daughter and Ryuuji and Ami's son would soon be here. _Surely… surely my breasts will let down for them!_

"Here! Here!" Kawashima Anna called out as she crested the rise and approached the group of girls. The carrier that held little Ayame to her back would need the help of another person to remove. Minori was with her in a moment. The carrier was free, and the child was on her way to her mother's waiting arms.

Taiga loosened the straps on the recently arrived mount and was just finishing when Ryuuji's grandfather arrived with the other child.

.

Minori held Maya's hand while she cried tears of joy and relief. Her breasts had finally let down and the two infants were greedily getting their fill. Looking up from the happy mother, she spotted Taiga walking off with the three newly arrived horses. "Taiga! Where are you going?"

"Just a walk." Taiga's voice carried back.

"But..." Minori wanted her friend there too.

"After a hard run, horses need a cool-down walk or it's bad for their health." Taiga waved off her friend's concern, "I'll be back soon."

"Oh… okay." Minori wanted to run over to Taiga but chose not to. First, Maya was still clinging to her hand and seemed to need her now – as much as she needed her when she was in pain. But there was something in Taiga's reply as well. A something that told her that she wanted… or needed to be alone now. _Silly Taiga… do you really think that I can't tell?_

Taiga held the reins loosely as she led the three horses back down the trail. Friends and elders stayed with the babies so there was no-one to see the tears streaming down Taiga's face. The tears weren't from any one thing. Many emotions and thoughts were circling Taiga's heart at the moment. What-ifs about Ryuuji. Wishing she had been able to ride Midnight Star when he was younger… and knowing he was in his final years. The aftershocks of the realization that the loss of Ryuuji was her own fault… and that Ami was blameless in everything that had happened.

 _Dammit!_

The bitterness was rising like bile in her throat when she was startled out of her despondence by a loud snort on the back of her neck. She skipped a step, but she wasn't so startled that she spun around to come face to face with Midnight Star. Instead, she reached her hand up over her head and patted his furry cheek as she told him, "Thanks, but I'll be okay. You don't have to worry about me."

"Hmupth." the old horse snorted and lowered his head so his muzzle was next to Taiga's head.

"You don't think so?" Taiga conversed with her horse, "I'm not as weak as I look, you know. I've been through a lot already. I may be only…" She stopped when she remembered that the short numbers of years that she had been alive was almost the entirety of a horses lifespan. This too was about to drag her back into her despondency when she heard the welcome sound of water splashing over rocks.

"Ah! Fresh stream water! Are you guys ready for a drink?" Taiga knew that they would be. Water was something else a horse needed after a good ride. Actually… humans too, for that matter. Taiga lifted the canteen from the saddle and took a long drink while the horses drank from the stream. Taking the canteen with her, she sat on a large rock just a few meters upstream, and watched over the horses while they lapped up the cold, clear water. The heavy plant growth around the stream bed meant that she had no incredible view for the moment. In fact, she couldn't even see the sky from here. But the serene setting of the babbling brook, the flickering rays of sunshine, and the aromatic pine canopy – was enough for Taiga. There was a moment when she thought the tears would come again, but the peacefulness of this place was good for healing a wounded heart. Instead of tears, she sighed and stared at the water that bubbled and splashed against the rocks of the stream bed.

"I'm going to be okay." Taiga surprised herself as the words came out of her mouth. The thought had been in the back of her mind when she lost herself while staring at the brook. It was the kind of thought that comes from somewhere deep inside when the mind is set free. More a feeling than a belief, the thought didn't come with proof, examples, or evidence. Rather than a statement of fact, it was a statement of intent.

"Huh?" Taiga realized her canteen was empty when she raised it to take another drink. With the solution at hand, she leaned across the flat rock and dipped the canteen into the shallow, but quick flowing water. The surface of the water seemed to shimmer, broken only by the bubbles from the submerged canteen. Taiga felt her hand growing cold from the flowing water and noticed that a shadow had suddenly blocked the light that brought the water's reflective shimmer. Looking up, she found herself staring into the emerald green eyes of a red fox on the opposite bank of the brook. It only looked back at her for a few moments, then sniffed the air, turned and walked back into the thick of the trees.

"Okay, that was… weird." Taiga nervously muttered while slowly backing away from the water's edge. Even though she was familiar with riding a horse, that was experience she gained from lessons at an equestrian center… in a city. She had never been the outdoorsy type and had only ever seen a live fox in a zoo. Understandably rattled, she quickly moved back to the horses and guided them back to the trail so she could rejoin the others. A small frightened part of her wanted to ride away from here as quickly as possible, but these horses needed their rest before they mounted up and headed back down the mountain with the others.

Taiga hadn't gone far up the trail when she saw her friends and the other horses all coming towards her. She noticed that Maya looked completely recovered and was enjoying a conversation with Kawashima Anna and Minori. After a glance at her watch, she turned to the three horses with her and said, "Good job boys. It looks like we'll be off this mountain before nightfall."

.

 **Saturday afternoon, March 19th – Sendai**

* * *

"How is your friend, Haruta-san?" Shinako asked Noto. She knew that he had been asleep since the previous day. Noto had gotten him cleaned up and fed. He had wanted to find out about a lot of things, but poor Haruta had been at the end of his endurance. The only thing he had been able to discover was that Haruta hadn't been able to find his uncle or his fiancé, ever since the Tsunami.

"He's still sleeping." Noto tapped the screen on his laptop and sighed. He had done the best that he could, but there were still unanswered questions. "I think I found his fiancé in a hospital in Misawa. Apparently, she was airlifted out soon after the tsunami."

"That's good, isn't it?" Shinako tried to sound hopeful.

"It's good that I found her, but… it doesn't look like she has been trying to find Haruta. That could mean she's in a coma or… she doesn't want to find him." Noto frowned at the bleak possibilities.

"It could also mean that she believes he is already lost to her. She could be disconsolate, thinking he was a casualty of the flood." Shinako suggested.

Noto blinked. That thought had not occurred to him and he was now wondering why. He looked up at Shinako in wonder.

"It was just an idea." Shinako responded to Noto's bewildered expression.

"And it was a good one." Noto said appreciatively. "I'm wondering why I didn't think of it."

"I'm glad you didn't." Shinako said with a smirk.

"Huh?" Noto was snapped out of his introspection by his cousin's odd response, "Why?"

"If you could come up with all the answers by yourself, I would start feeling quite useless." she answered him in jest then seriously offered, "I'll see what I can do about getting your friend up to Misawa.

"Thank you Shinako-san." Noto wanted to laugh, but he was too tired. Leaning back into the overstuffed chair, he took a sip of the hot tea that Shinako had left for him. The hot tea and the comfortable chair almost lulled him into sleep, but he caught himself before the last long blink and shook himself awake. He hadn't been put through as much as Haruta, but he was exhausted too. Since they boarded the plane in Osaka, it seemed that he and Shinako had been constantly on the run. There was always one or two more things to do. Even after turning the responsibility of the construction crews over to the Italian relief teams, he was still involved with the political entities in the area. He wanted to make sure that Hisamitsu Industries would have a place in all the rebuilding efforts that would be necessary in the years to come.

He hoped he had done well and that his efforts would be something that his grandmother would praise him for. But for now, the thoughts that occupied his mind the most was that this would all be over in two more days and he could finally go home to Tokushima. He looked forward to seeing his wife and daughters, holding them in his arms again, relaxing with them on a picnic blanket - under the cool skies of his beloved home…

Shinako took the empty cup from Noto's fingers and turned off the lamp beside his chair. She didn't know what he was dreaming about, but it was certainly bringing a pleasant smile to his face.

.

 **Monday morning, March 20th – Brisbane, Australia**

* * *

"We're going to ride in that?" Hisako sounded dubious. She was looking down the pier at the two strange looking craft. One was painted red and white and the other was yellow and white. But it wasn't their paint jobs that made them odd. They looked like parts of different models that someone had gotten mixed up and then glued together without reading the instructions. The center of the craft looked like a catamaran with it's double hulls in the water. That was fairly normal looking, but it sported two large delta-wings that seemed to have been put on backwards, two large engines with big propellers that looked like they belonged on a seaplane, and a giant horizontal wing that connected the two vertical stabilizers in the back. Hisako had seen plenty of airplanes and boats in her life. She had even seen a few seaplanes. But she had never encountered anything like these monstrosities.

"They're supposed to be very safe." Ryuuji said in a tone that sounded more hopeful than reassuring. He couldn't help it though. The pictures he had been sent hadn't prepared him enough for how strange they looked in person. He looked to Deena for support but she was also looking skeptical.

"I want to ride in the yellow one!" Aiko-chan was one of the few that still seemed enthusiastic about climbing into one of these ungainly looking things.

"We may not have a choice over which one we ride in. Oh, here comes someone now." Yasuko explained to the young girl while also hoping to ride in the yellow one. She didn't know why, but the way it was painted seemed to make her feel happier.

Deena was soon translating between the Australian operators of the WIGs and her Japanese friends. The representatives from the company explained that the cabins of these craft were normally built out to carry fifty passengers, but they had removed all but ten seats from the yellow one so that they could carry the luggage, photography, and video gear for the shoots they would be doing once they got to the islands. Yasuko and Aiko-chan were ecstatic when they found out that they could ride in the yellow craft after all. Yuri and Deena also decided to ride in the yellow one with the youngest and oldest members of their group… and the two with the weakest English skills.

Ami sat next to Ryuuji on one side of the aisle while Nanako sat next to Hisako on the other. Behind them were Suzume and Umeki looking out the window excitedly as the other craft backed away from the pier. The yellow craft had finished loading and getting everyone ready first, so Ryuuji and the girls that were with him watched out the windows as the yellow craft maneuvered into position and then accelerated away using the powerful propellers on the two big engine pods. They watched the yellow and white craft get smaller and smaller as it got further away, but it never seemed to lift off into the sky.

"All right everyone, it's our turn now." Ryuuji translated what the crew member was telling him in English. Put on your seat-belts if you haven't already. The first part of the launch will feel like a ride on a very fast speedboat. It will be fairly rough until we clear the water. After that, it should be as smooth as skating across ice." Ryuuji then took his seat and put his seat-belt on too. A moment later and the loud hum of the big propeller engines got even louder everyone could feel the sense of moving very quickly. However, there wasn't much to see out the windows other than lots of spray being kicked up by the water. The big craft banged through wave after wave and they were all glad for the security of the seat-belts until…

Suddenly, there were no more bangs or lurches. The vibrations calmed down and the craft felt eerily still. But a glance out the windows showed the nearby ocean hurtling by.

"How…" Ryuuji was about to ask what was happening when the crew member took off his seat-belt and motioned for Ryuuji to stand up as well.

"We are now flying just a few meters above the water. As soon as we clear the outer buoys, we will accelerate to our cruising speed of one hundred and nine knots, but we won't be flying that much higher. That would be one hundred and twenty-five miles per hour, or a little over two hundred kilometers per hour. That may not seem all that fast for an airplane, but a 'wing in ground-effect' craft is designed to compete against boats, not planes. As such, we will soon be flying faster than any ferry boat in the world." Ryuuji repeated what the crew member told him.

"What about the hydrofoils? Japan has a lot of hydrofoil ferries and they're pretty fast." Hisako asked. She had been on a Hydrofoil once and had been impressed with it's speed… for a while. However, she also got sea-sick from the hydrofoil's motion.

"Japan's passenger hydrofoils can go as fast as forty-eight knots. That would be around fifty-five miles per hour, or eighty-nine kilometers per hour." Ryuuji repeated back to Hisako and the others.

"So we're going… more than twice as fast as a hydrofoil? Wow!" Umeki exclaimed as she turned to look out the window at the water rushing by.

Ami too was fascinated with the view out the window… for a while. But she had been in high speed motorboats and hydrofoil ferries before, so watching water moving by quickly wasn't something new to her. In the end, it wasn't fascinating enough to hold her attention for more than a few minutes. Turning back from the window, she reached out to Ryuuji to sit next to her.

"Are you okay? This thing isn't scaring you, is it?" Ryuuji worried as he took his seat.

"No. If anything, I'm already bored." Ami sighed.

"If you didn't want to do this..." Ryuuji was about to apologize for dragging her into this job.

"No, it's not that. I just… I want to go home. I mean… I don't want to sound like a kid with homesickness, but I want to see Tatsuya again. I want to relax in our home in Tokyo. I want…" she stopped talking when she realized that she sounded exactly like a kid with homesickness. The idea that Ryuuji would call her on it – made her look down at her hands and pout.

"Yeah, I get that. But this is the last thing we're doing here. We can go home as soon as we're done with this job. Okay?" Ryuuji said as he reached over and held her clasped hands.

"Promise?" Ami asked as she looked up into his eyes.

"I pinky swear." Ryuuji said as his little finger curled around Ami's.

"Oh, it's serious now buster. You might have been able to go back on a promise to me, but a pinky swear is some serious stuff. Are you sure you can hold up your end of this?" Ami asked with a wry smile and a glint of humor in her eye.

"I'll do my _very_ best." Ryuuji promised as he leaned in for a kiss.

.

* * *

.

 **Glossary**

 **DFAT** : Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

 **Ho** **kkaido** : The northern most of the four main islands of Japan. Sapporo is on Hokkaido.

 **Honshu** : The largest of the four main islands of Japan. Sendai, Tokyo, and Osaka are all on Honshu.

 **Shikoku** : The smallest of the four main islands of Japan. Tokushima is on Shikoku.


	10. Chapter 10 - Island Breezes

**Monday morning, March 21st – Sendai**

* * *

Shinako checked her phone for messages before pouring the tea into the cups. It was a western style tea set with fairy tale princesses emblazoned on each of the plastic cups – something obviously made for young children. She would have preferred the simplicity and sturdiness of a traditional Japanese tea set, but it was the only tea set available at the only store that she had found open at the time, so it would have to do.

Her phone had no more news that she could relay to Noto, but perhaps that was best. He had been worried about his wife, his family's company, his friend that he had recently rescued, and about all the other people still suffering in all of this catastrophic madness. Shinako saw worry lines forming around his eyes and she wondered if it was really so necessary to put so much pressure on such a young man. But, that was Obāsama's decision and Noto had accepted the responsibility. That being the case, she had resigned herself to supporting both of them the best she could, for the time being. But… she looked forward for her cousin's return home and... return to university life. He was still a young man and deserved to have the relative happiness and freedom of a college student... for a little while. Someday, that period in his life would come to a close and it would be time for years of toil for him. But that time wasn't upon him yet. Shinako stepped back into the shadows after serving the tea and watched her cousin begin a painful conversation with a close friend.

"Haruta..." Noto tried to start the conversation, but didn't want to burden his friend with more bad news.

"Hey Noto... Dude, it's cool." Haruta reached out and bumped Noto's hand with his fist.

"Huh?" Noto was confused. The way Haruta was acting, it was as if their roles were reversed and Haruta was there to comfort Noto.

"Dude, you're way to tense. Ya need to relax man, it's just me." Haruta said with a weak smile.

"Yeah... we do go back a ways, don't we?" Noto replied with a forced chuckle. He wondered if his happy-go-lucky friend really understood the seriousness of his situation. What Noto had to tell him wasn't the kind of thing he thought he would ever have to tell a high school friend.

"I know it's bad." Haruta closed his eyes and hung his head so that his friend wouldn't see any tears that might come unbidden to his eyes. "Don't worry about me so much… I've already seen so much pain, I don't want you to hurt now too."

"Thanks Haruta. I guess… I'll just come out and say it then." Noto took a breath and said, "I haven't been able to find any news on your uncle. However… there were a lot of people that were pulled out to sea when the tsunami receded and… their bodies have been washing ashore. If you think you're up to it, there is a group leaving tomorrow to visit the collection centers and try to… identify who they can.

Haruta kept his face down. He knew how hard it had been for his friend to have to tell him this and he appreciated that. But he just couldn't give up hope on finding his uncle and his fiancé. Surely, both of them couldn't have perished and left him…

"When you finish with the last of the centers, you'll need to go up to Misawa. Your fiancé is in the hospital there." Noto told his friend and watched as Haruta's face came up and looked back at him in disbelief.

"You… you found her?" Haruta gasped.

"I don't know what her condition is. All I know is that she had your fiancé's identification when they found her and that she matches the description. I'm sorry – that isn't much." Noto started to apologize for not being able to do more.

"No way! Dude that's amazing!" Haruta cheered. In fact, he looked like he might start crying, singing, or screaming for joy. Knowing Haruta, it might be all three. "But wait? Why don't I go to Misawa first?"

"Haruta-san," Shinako decided to step in and save Noto from having to do all the dirty work, "the bodies that washed up on the shore weren't all in the best shape and some of the centers where they are being stored have no power for proper refrigeration. You… may not have much time to identify your loved ones."

"Oh… oh yeah." the thought of what awaited at all the collection centers brought Haruta's emotions back down from the clouds.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more." Noto felt guilty. He was smart enough to know what this guilt came from. It was survivor's guilt, and probably something that Haruta would be going through eventually. He had been in Sendai for a while now but this was the first time he felt the guilt hit him. It wasn't just that he had personally avoided any injury – all of his family and friends had also come away from this catastrophe unscathed as well. Now there was someone he knew that was going through so many trials. So much pain. Even though Haruta was keeping the despair and hopelessness out of his expression and voice, Noto had known him too long not to see the signs that his friend was suffering.

"Baka! You've done enough. If you did any more, I don't know how I would ever repay you." Haruta's comment that had started off boisterous, ended with his eyes getting wet and he had to turn away.

"I suppose you will need to be off soon, to…" Noto turned to pour some tea so that he wasn't looking at his friend's tears. But his sentence suddenly turned difficult – as if he had just stepped into a pitfall trap.

"We all have our tasks and chores. Noto-sama, you too have a list of things you need to finish up before tomorrow." Shinako tried to help the difficult atmosphere with her gentle reminder.

"Yeah… I guess I should be going." Haruta started to look around for his things… then remembered that he didn't have any.

"Haruta-san, I have prepared a backpack for your travels." She gestured to a bright pink backpack adorned with dancing mushrooms and baby dinosaurs. "I apologize about the fashion statement, but there wasn't much else available to choose from."

"No, it's fine. And thanks." Haruta made a polite bow to Noto's elder cousin. He picked up the backpack and discovered that it was surprisingly heavy. At least… it was heavier than he expected a bright pink backpack to be. _I guess Shinako-san really stuffed this thing._

"You have my number, and you know where our family estate is. Call me, or just show up. Either is fine." Noto said as he clasped his friend's hand. A startled Haruta glanced at the clasped hands which made Noto let go and explain, "Sorry, I guess I've been picking up a few mannerisms from The Major."

"Hey, it's okay. And, thanks dude." Haruta stepped past Noto and Shinako with the pink backpack over his shoulders.

Noto's fists clenched as he watched his friend leave. He wished they could have had more time, talked about more things that had happened in their lives… He wished they could feel like they did back when they were in high school together… just for a little while. And he wished he could have done more.

"If you'd given him any more help, you would have embarrassed him." Shinako warned.

"I know. But still…" Noto ground his teeth at the thought of what was in store for his friend. Traveling from city to city as he worked his way up the coast – only to arrive in each town to try and find someone he knew amongst the dead there. And finally to reach Misawa to discover what had become of his fiancé.

"There is no 'but still' for you, Noto-sama. You have done all you should. Now you must leave the rest to those whose responsibility it is." Shinako said softly, but firmly. She needed to get her cousin past this emotional boulder and back on track. They were almost done with their assignments in Sendai and they could soon return to their more peaceful and pleasant Tokushima where family and friends awaited them. It was not for herself, but she wanted to get Noto home again before the sadness became irreversible. This was no place for a young man to stay and become hopeless and jaded.

 _Maya-chan, I will be bringing your husband home to you soon. I will leave it to you to do everything in your power to restore him to the optimistic and happy young man that he used to be._

.

 **Monday afternoon, March 21st– South Pacific Atoll**

* * *

Ryuuji stood under the shade of a towering palm tree and watched the girls perform for the promised video shoot. At the moment, they were doing a lighthearted song based on another of the poems he had written about how happy he would be if he could just speak to Minori. At least, that had been what he had originally written all those poems for. Now, they were all getting re-purposed as lyrics for songs that the girls would sing. Sometimes he wondered if singing love songs her husband had written for another girl might bother Ami, but she didn't really have a jealousy issue with his first, and unrequited love. In fact, she didn't really get all that jealous when the other girls in the troupe teased him. No, the only person that could turn her eyes green with jealousy was… "Taiga."

"Hmm? Now why would Ryu-chan suddenly say her name?" his mother asked. She sounded innocent as usual but Ryuuji could see her raised eyebrow that indicated more than a passing interest.

"I was just thinking that Ami is getting along well with everyone except… Taiga." Ryuuji pointed out.

"They get along well enough. After all, they are in different universities and all. They probably don't have that many chances to talk things out." Yasuko said casually.

"Talk things out..." Ryuuji's brow furrowed as he though over his mother's words. Then he looked up and asked her, "What things do they need to talk out?"

"Huh? Well… things! You know… girl things. How am I supposed to know?" Yasuko sounded flustered and looked away from her son and out at the blue sea on the horizon.

"How are you supposed to know about girl things? You're a girl aren't you? You're their Onee-chan, aren't you? Yasuko, what are you not telling me?" Ryuuji pressed.

"Ryuuji!" Ami's shout came from several meters away.

Ryuuji and Yasuko looked over to see that everyone was watching them now. Ryuuji hadn't realized how loud their conversation had been but it was clear that it had gotten everyone's attention. He was about to apologize for disturbing their session when Ami spoke up.

"We're taking a break. Let's you and me take a walk." Ami picked up a couple of water bottles as she walked past Ryuuji. Her words may have sounded like an offer, but the tone of her voice let him know that it was a demand.

The island they were on was beautiful with big white sandy beaches and palm trees leaning out toward the blue waters of the South Pacific ocean. But, it was also a very small island… really, nothing more than an atoll. The WIGs had carried several pallets of water bottles since there was no fresh water on the island, but that also meant that there would be no-one there to get in the way of their photography and video sessions. However, that also meant that there wasn't very far to go if you wanted to take a walk. As soon as they pressed through a line of bushes and trees, they were on the inside of the atoll and looking at the calm, blue-green water of the lagoon.

Ryuuji fully expected Ami to lash out at him. She had become very close to his mother and he had just been a bit harsh with her. So, he was completely shocked when she abruptly sank to her knees in the soft sand and bowed her head.

"I haven't been honest with you and… I'm sorry." Ami said in a monotone.

"What? What do you mean?" Ryuuji sat down in the sand next to his wife and looked at her blue hair that cascaded down from her head and hid her face from him.

"Do you know when I realized that I loved you?" Ami's voice had more inflection in it now, but it was all wrong. It sounded like she was close to tears.

"Um… the ski trip?" Ryuuji remembered Ami acting weird then and even getting into a fight with Minori over something that had to do with him.

"Heh… the ski trip." Ami raised a hand under her waterfall of blue hair and dabbed at her eyes before continuing, "No, it was a long time before that. Do you remember when I caught you shopping and was teasing you about looking so sinister?"

"Yes." he remembered it well. Her teasing had stung all the more because the store security man had actually been watching him as if he really was a criminal.

"When we left the store, you gave me some of the meat you had bought. You told me I needed to eat a better diet. And… you called me a child." Ami recalled the moment that she stood there stunned under that street light and watched Ryuuji walking away. Walking back to his home where he would make a nice dinner for his mother and… Taiga.

"I'm sorry if I insulted you." Ryuuji started to apologize.

"No." Ami shook her head a little for emphasis, "That _was_ the moment. That was when I realized that you could really see through the mask to the real me… and you weren't repulsed. You criticized me for being childish, but not in a mean way. I _was_ being childish after all… and you called me on it."

"Oh." Ryuuji wasn't sure what to say… or if he should say anything.

"You have no idea how hard it was for me not to run after you then. But I knew… even if I was able to tease you into inviting me over for dinner, Taiga would be there too. And… there would be no place for me." Ami finally looked up at Ryuuji. He could see that her eyes were red from crying, even if there were no tears on her cheeks at the moment.

"I… I didn't know." Ryuuji tried to remember back to that moment and what he really thought of Ami back then. He decided it would be impolite to tell her that he only thought of her then as an annoyance.

"Of course, I talked myself out of it by the next day. I mean, after all, you were just a nobody and someday I might be a star!" Ami had raised her hands to the sky and said the last line as if it had been a happy discovery. But the look of happiness faded as she continued, "I repeated those lines to myself over and over again… but they wouldn't stick. Every time I saw you doing your best. Every time other people called me mature. Every time you did something nice because it was just natural for you… my resolve crumbled a little more and I loved you… a little more. But, you thought you loved Minori, and then you realized you loved Taiga."

"Ami…"

"You didn't love me. I could tell. I knew you were in love with Taiga even before you did. And, I knew that little twerp was in love with you too. Neither one of you would admit it and it was driving me crazy. Even though you loved her, you wouldn't come out and say it. She wouldn't admit that she loved you either. She wouldn't admit it to herself and she wouldn't admit it to you. And… it was driving me crazy because… because… I was doing the same thing!" Ami's voice had been getting louder and louder until she was screaming at the end. Then she turned and looked at Ryuuji.

Ryuuji could see the pain in her eyes. He knew that she was talking about the dark and embarrassing memories that she would rather have forgotten about… but those were the ones that can never really be forgotten. Without a word, he reached for her and pulled her into a hug while he swung his leg around so he was in front of her. Holding her tightly to his chest, he cradled her head against his shoulder and let her cry out her old frustrations.

"By the time we went on the ski trip, I knew it was too late for me. Even if neither of the two of you would admit it, you were in love with each other by then. I gave up. Me. The star gave up because the palm top tiger had beaten her. But I didn't hold a grudge. I even tried to help her. Remember… when she was giving us those chocolates and I wouldn't let her run away? And then later when you made those ridiculous plans to run away and elope? I was helping her the best that I could. Do you remember?" Ami's arms circled around his neck to hold onto him.

"Yes Ami, I remember." Ryuuji said softly while he continued to hold her close.

"But then, she left… and you fell apart. I felt betrayed. Even though I loved you, I had helped her with everything I had. And she did… that. Ryuuji, I watched you dying and there was nothing anyone could do. She was killing you, Ryuuji! Everything… everything that the two of you had gone through… everything that _I_ had gone through… she just threw it away like so much worthless trash!"

"Ami…" Ryuuji felt her tensing up again and worried that she was going to go back to being angry.

"Well I'm not trash, Ryuuji! And you're not either! We didn't deserve to be treated like that and it made me mad. It made me hate her for discarding our friendship and our feelings so callously! If she was going to discard me, then I was going to discard her too. I threw away my support and I threw away our friendship and I decided the one I was going to help now was you. Just you. And if anyone got in the way, I would crush them."

"Ami… I knew you were upset back then, but I thought you were upset with me." Ryuuji recalled how Ami had pushed, pulled, and lifted his spirit, his emotions, and even his body back then. If it hadn't been for Ami and his mother…

"Ryuuji… I have to tell you something now that might hurt a little. I've put this off for a long time because I was worried that it might cause a relapse or something. Then, when you were stronger… I just didn't want to tell you and make you sad. But, that was unfair of me. It is something you need to know." Ami said softly.

"What? What is it?" Ryuuji tried to move so that he could see her face now, but she was holding on around his neck too tight and refused to let go.

"Ryuuji… I wasn't the only one that let Taiga into my heart and then felt betrayal and anger. I'm not the only one that hated her for what she did." Ami summoned the courage to tell him the truth that she had kept from him for so long.

"Ami, I know Minori was upset with her. I heard about how she slapped Taiga in the classroom, and yelled at her." Ryuuji tried to help out his struggling wife, but he was far off the mark.

"No Ryuuji. Someone else who had already accepted Taiga into her family – which made the betrayal all the more painful. Someone who had to watch her son dying before her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to save him. Her son that she loved so much and had sacrificed so much for – only to watch him slowly dying from the torment of Taiga's callous cruelty."

"Yasuko?" Ryuuji was stunned. He had never heard his mother say a vindictive word about Taiga. This was too much to believe.

"Yes Ryuuji, your mother. Some people have forgiven Taiga, but they don't like her as much any more… or at least, not like they used too. Others like her again, but they haven't been able to forgive her for what she did. I'm pretty sure Minori is in that group. But for your mother… it might be a while before she can either like or forgive the person that almost killed her precious son." Ami's grip relaxed and she slid down Ryuuji's body until her head rested in his lap. The effort to let out all of those pent up feelings had been exhausting.

Ryuuji stroked Ami's blue hair and gazed out at the slow ripples on the clear water of the shallow lagoon. He had never suspected that his mother felt that way, but everything Ami said had made sense. Recalling the recent conversation he and his mother had just had about Taiga, and the way that little talk had sparked into coarse words and harsh feelings… he knew that Ami was probably right.

"What should I do?" Ryuuji asked aloud.

"Buy a punching bag, mark it up to look like Taiga and superglue a crappy orange wig on it." Ami suggested with a slight smile.

"You still feel that strongly…" Ryuuji didn't get to finish questioning Ami's feelings.

"Not for me. For your mother." Ami chuckled.

"Oh." Ryuuji thought about how athletic his mother was and added, "We better get a strong punching bag."

Ami's laughter could be heard from where the others were resting and enjoying the sun. Some wondered what could be so funny to invoke such loud peals of laughter. Others just smiled that Ami was able to laugh so thoroughly again.

.

 **Tuesday evening, March 22nd – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

Taiga stayed in the barn a little longer than everyone else. She and her friends had come back from a nice long ride. The weather was still a bit chilly, but this would be Taiga and Minori's last day at the estate. Early the next morning, they would be getting a ride to the airport to return to Tokyo. Normally, they would have taken the Shinkansen from Okayama, but the trains were still unpredictable around Tokyo since the earthquake. They took solace that the Tokushima airport was closer than Okayama anyway, and they would be traveling there with Maya, in the same car that would be bringing back Noto and Shinako. Unfortunately, their departure time was before the others' arrival time, so they would miss saying farewell to their friends before they left. Missing a chance to greet her returning friend didn't bother her too much since she never really liked saying farewells anyway. But that wasn't what was making Taiga's heart heavy now.

Standing on a stool, she was brushing down the wonderful old horse that had become so dear to her. She had already combed out his black mane and brushed him down once, but there was no reason why she couldn't brush him down again. And besides, he did seem to like it. She had finished her second pass at working over his shoulders and was making long, sweeping brush strokes across his flanks when he snorted and bobbed his head.

"So, do you like that, or is it ticklish?" Taiga asked. She noticed that he didn't stamp his hoof or try to move away and she smiled, "I guess you like it."

After a few dozen more of those long strokes, Midnight Star craned his neck back and tugged on Taiga's sleeve with his lips.

"Oh all right. I know what you want. Jeez what a spoiled brat you've become." Taiga retorted as she climbed down off her step-stool and moved it back toward the horse's head. She had discovered early on that he really liked getting brushes or scratches under his chin, at the top of his neck, and around his ears. And, surprising even the Hisamitsu stable-hands, he had learned how to ask for it.

The old horse made a huffle sound in response to Taiga's grouching, but kept his head in position to receive the much desired scratches.

"All right, you big baby. Here you go." Taiga abandoned the brush and used her fingers to give her equine friend a thorough scratching in all his favorite places. "I'm only doing this for you since I'm leaving tomorrow, so… so…" she had meant to demand that the horse appreciate her efforts, but she couldn't finish the sentence. Tears that she had been able to hold in check up to now came streaming down her face. She used her sleeve to wipe them away, but the stream continued to wet her cheeks in the cool air of the quiet stables.

Midnight Star felt the luxurious scratches slow down and stop. And the arms of the little human were suddenly wrapped around his thick neck. And she was sobbing. He could sense the sadness radiating from her in waves as she held onto him and cried. In the world of horse affection, one could either show affection or receive it – not both. So, at a time like this, there was only one thing for him to do. He stood there for her to lean into and hold onto. He didn't know why the little human was sad, but she was one of the few humans that he liked and if she needed him to stand for her, that was what he would do. Then, when she finished and turned flank to him, it would be his turn to show affection with a little nuzzle.

"I don't want to say goodbye. I hate saying goodbyes!" Taiga whined through her sobs. She held onto him even tighter for a moment but froze up when she heard another voice in the stable.

"Aisaka-san, please believe me that I would let you have him if you had a place for him. Alas, you are returning to college in Tokyo and that is not possible." Obāsama said softly.

"I… appreciate your kind offer." Taiga struggled to be polite to the elder of the Hisamitsu family. Her own parents had disappointed her from time to time and she outright looked down on her father, but Obāsama had only ever acted with dignity and seemed close to royalty, to Taiga. So, her usual behavior wouldn't be at all acceptable with the lady of the estate. "But, you're right. It would be… impossible."

"I have another offer that I would like you to consider. One that does hold possibility for you." Obāsama said from the entrance to Midnight Star's stall.

"Oh?" Taiga peeled herself away from the horse's neck and looked over at the matriarch with tear stained eyes.

"I have come to like you very much. Indeed, I have yet to meet any of my grandson's friends that I have not liked. But there is something fiery, unique, and very special about you. It is sometimes untempered, but I admire the lively spirit within you nonetheless." Obāsama told the now staring girl.

"Uh… thank you." Taiga knew there was a dig in there, but she was still overwhelmed at the complement from such a noble person. However, she was also annoyed that the old woman hadn't got to the 'offer' she had mentioned.

"I would like to extend an invitation to you to come and visit this old house whenever you wish. It doesn't matter if Noto and Maya are here at the time. I want you to know that you can come and stay as long as you like." Obāsama offered.

"I… uh…" Taiga was startled and wondered if she had heard the old woman's words correctly.

"I'm sure you wouldn't enjoy visiting someone as ancient as me, so if all you want to do is ride the horses…" Obāsama had misunderstood Taiga's stuttering for reluctance and was letting her know that she wouldn't be burdened with having to entertain an old woman if she decided to visit.

"No, no! That's not it." Taiga stumbled down off the step-stool and faced the elder Hisamitsu. She was again fighting for words to say what her heart felt at the moment when a little help arrived. From behind her, Midnight Star chose that moment to show his affection by nuzzling her with his massive head. The force of the contact pushed Taiga a few steps closer to Obāsama and close enough for Taiga to see the emotion on the old woman's face. It seemed to Taiga that Obāsama was as nervous about inviting a young person as she was to receive the invitation… or reply to it. In a flash of inspiration, an old lesson seemed to offer some sage advice – _when conversation seems impossible, trust in the rules of proper etiquette_. Shifting to formal speech, she replied, "Thank you very much, Obāsama. I will accept this invitation as a treasured gift."

Obāsama watched with stunned amusement as the most erratic of Noto's friends made a very graceful and proper bow. _Well, I didn't expect that. Will wonders never cease?_

.

 **Wednesday early morning, March 23rd – South Pacific Atoll**

* * *

Ami woke up and realized that Ryuuji wasn't next to her. His sleeping bag was still in the tent and the mesh panels were properly zipped closed over the entrance, so she thought it possible that he just needed to go relieve himself. Trying not to think too much of it, she rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. It should have been easy to get to sleep here. The temperature was perfect, there was a light breeze of sea air that wafted through the open flaps of the tent, and the background noise of waves lapping against the sandy beaches – all these things should have conspired nicely to pull her back into a nice slumber. But sleep didn't come easily. After a few minutes of not finding the sleep she was looking for, she rolled back over… and rolled over again. She tried a physical and mental relaxation trick that usually worked… but not this time. With a groan, she admitted defeat and opened her eyes. It was still dark, but she knew where her cell phone was. Grabbing it angrily, she looked at her cell phone screen. Of course there was no signal, but could at least tell her what time it was. Or… not?

"Huh?" she blinked her eyes and looked again to see if she had made a mistake. No, her phone was telling her that it was a bit after four in the afternoon. "What the..." Ami looked out of the windows and door of the little tent that she shared with Ryuuji and it was certainly too dark outside to be afternoon. With her frustrations only building around her, she gave up on sleep and decided to go find Ryuuji.

The search didn't take long. As soon as she had left the tent, she saw him out on the beach. The moon wasn't full, but there was enough light from it, and the gazillion stars in the sky, to see the features of the little atoll in stark monochrome. The light made Ryuuji's yellow shirt look white and his red shorts looked black. His hair was tussling in the constant breeze coming off the ocean as he gazed up into the sky. For a moment Ami wondered if there might be something wrong, but it was also like Ryuuji to gaze at the faraway stars too. As she came alongside him, she took his arm and asked, "What's up?"

"Mmmmm." Ryuuji made a contented hum as he pulled Ami around so that she was standing in front of him. With her back to him, his arms wrapped around her and he took her hands in his own. "This is a pretty amazing sight, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Ami had to agree. Sure, there were places in Japan's mountain regions where the stars could be seen pretty clearly, but not while wearing nothing but a beach wrap. Feeling the need to explain why she had come after him, she said, "I woke up and you weren't there…"

"Yasuko and Yuri-sensei were out here drinking a little while ago. I helped drag sensei back into her tent, but I wanted to just look at the stars for a while." Ryuuji told her.

"Getting drunk in the middle of the night, huh?" Ami smirked. She knew that Yasuko used to work in a bar but she thought Yuri's days of getting smashed had ended when she finally got married.

"I don't think they meant to get drunk. They were just celebrating about coming out to a South Pacific Island. Remember how excited they were when I first mentioned it?" he looked back up at the sky and took a deep breath of the ocean breeze. Then he smiled and said, "I thought it was odd at the time, but… I think I understand why those two were so excited to come out here. This place is amazing in the day, and at night."

The temperature had dropped from the bright sun of the daytime, but it was still warm enough that Ami didn't need anything more than her beach wrap. Indeed, she only needed that for the modesty. The warm sea air caressed her body and tossed her hair in a gentle, almost sensual way. Tall coconut palms that leaned out over the wide beach swayed gently in that breeze. In the dim moonlight, the tall slender trees were a dark silhouette against the sandy beach that reflected the stark white moonlight. And, while she took all this in, Ryuuji's strong arms surrounded her and his hands held her gently as if he were holding onto a delicate flower. But his eyes were on the heavens and he seemed fascinated with the brilliant starscape that filled the heavens.

"So, do you recognize any of the constellations?" Ami asked as she gave his hands a squeeze.

"Not really." Ryuuji laughed, "I only know a few constellations and they're all in the northern sky."

"They are pretty though." Ami remembered that one of the reasons for coming after Ryuuji was to find out why her phone was being weird, but that didn't work with the mood that they had going at the moment. And, she was rather fond of this mood. Letting go of his hands, she leaned into him and ran her fingers up his arms until her hands were behind his neck and she was looking up at him. His face was a contrast of pale light and shadow with a halo of stars beyond his wind tossed hair. But the best part was that he had taken his eyes away from the heavens and was looking down at her now.

"Just like you." Ryuuji said softly. From experience, he knew that she was ready for a kiss. His high school self would have been completely flustered in this situation, but after a few years of marriage, he had figured out a few things about 'subtle cues' with her. He kissed her and brought his hands up to her ample breasts. The beach wrap fell away and he discovered that he now had a beautiful, naked girl in his arms. "You… uh… lost your wrap."

"Yeah. Looks like I did." Ami smirked.

"You don't seem to be upset about it." Ryuuji asked while his hands trailed down her sides to her hips.

"I suppose," Ami turned around so she was facing him now and pressed her naked body in close to him, "I'll just have to rely on you to keep me warm."

"Warm…" Ryuuji said just before Ami's lips closed over his in a passionate kiss. Whatever was on his mind incinerated instantly when Ami's kiss ignited the inferno inside him. His arms traced down her back to the firm globes of her bottom and he gave her a firm squeeze while he pulled her closer against his body.

"So… what are you thinking?" Ami cooed when they broke off the kiss.

"That place we went earlier. The beach by the lagoon. Um…" Ryuuji knew what he wanted to say but he didn't want it to come out sounding like a kid or an oaf.

"Why Takasu Ryuuji! Do you want to take me to a secluded place and make out for a while?" Ami teased.

"Yes, yes I do!" Ryuuji rejoiced that his wife was so perceptive. But a bit of his senses came back to him despite the mental fog of hormone inspired desire and he quickly added, "But… only if… it's okay."

"It's okay, but only if you carry me like a princess." Ami teased again. She didn't tease too much since she was ready for a little love play with her husband too.

"Of course," Ryuuji swept her up in his arms and looked into her eyes, "You are my princess. How else would I carry you?"

"Oh Ryuuji," Ami leaned her head on his shoulder but struggled to keep from laughing, "you really need to stop watching my mother's old romance movies."

"Huh? But, I thought that was a really good line." Ryuuji smiled as he started walking off toward the lagoon. He had used an over-the-top line from an over-the-top romance movie, and he knew Ami would recognize it.

"It was okay, but I sing your lyrics all the time so I know you can do better." Ami taunted. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his ear while he carried her in his arms.

"All right. There's one I've been thinking about a lot. I think it's pretty good, but I don't know if you'll like it." Ryuuji tried to keep the mood light, but this really was something that he had been thinking about ever since he had watched the scenes of devastation on the day of the tsunami.

"You're not going to suggest a threesome with Yuri-sensei, are you?" Ami giggled when she felt Ryuuji almost trip from her little tease.

"I want to make another baby with you." Ryuuji said stiffly. He knew she had just made a joke that he should react to, but his courage was there and he felt that this was the best time to say it.

"Huh?" Ami's eyes opened wide. At first she thought that she had misheard him, but she was too close to have confused his words. Then she thought he was teasing her back for what she had just said, but his face was too sincere for that. "Say… say that again."

Ryuuji could feel most of Ami's body with his arms or against his chest and it didn't seem like she was upset. He chanced a look down at her face and saw several emotions at play there. Of course there was surprise and shock. But it also seemed like there was love and hope. The light was dim and he couldn't be entirely sure about that, but he was certain that he didn't see anger or disgust.

"I want to make another baby with you." Ryuuji repeated just as he got to the smooth sands of the lagoon's beach.

"Um..." Ami heard the words again and her heart nearly burst. She had wanted to have another child as well, but there were so many reasons not too. _We're were still in school. My entertainment career. We're so young._ And then there were the doubts that plagued her. _Is the honeymoon over? Does Ryuuji still love me the way he used to? Was he really okay with having a baby the first time?_ _Does he think I'm gross since I had a baby? Have I lost my charm?_ _Would he be angry if he found out how much I want another…_ But she had heard the question clearly. He had said it twice and there was no doubt. Tears came to her eyes as the realization hit her that all of her fears were completely unwarranted. From the earnest way he had just asked her that unexpected question, those fears that had seemed monumental before, turned out to have less substance than the meager wisps of sea breeze that made Ryuuji's hair sway against the starlight. Ami kissed her sinister looking, but caring, sweet, and wonderful husband as he lowered her to the soft warm sand.

"I… guess this means yes?" Ryuuji asked when they broke from the kiss.

"I've been thinking about this for a while..." Ami blushed but it was unseen in the dim moonlight, "I've been wanting to give Tatsuya a little sister."

"…" Ryuuji was about to remind her that there was no guarantee that they would have a girl just because they wanted one, but he knew what she would say, _Baka... then we keep trying!_ Instead he smiled and responded, "I'd like that too."

.

 **Wednesday afternoon, March 23rd – Tokushima Awaodori Airport**

* * *

Across the Kiisuido Strait from Tokushima is the city of Wakayama. From a great altitude, Tokushima and Wakayama almost look like mirror images of each other. Wide at the mouth of the rivers that run through them, where they open into the strait opposite each other, the cities narrow as they pass up into the valleys between bordering mountain ranges. Tokushima appears a little larger and Wakayama has a slightly higher population, but in most other respects, they could be thought of as sister cities. Both of them have harbors, expressways, and rail service. However, one striking difference is in airports. Since Wakayama is just down the coast from the sprawling metropolis of Osaka and it's four commercial airports, it doesn't have one of its own. If there were a Shinkansen link from Osaka to Shikoku Island, Tokushima might not have one either. But the ever expanding network of bullet trains had not yet reached the smallest of the mainland islands. Partly because of that, the Tokushima side of the twin cities had it's own airport. It wasn't an intercontinental monster, or even an international beast, but the convenient airport satisfied the area's regional needs. Being a smaller airport, it didn't have the food courts or souvenir shops found in some of the larger airline hubs, but that also meant that it wasn't terribly crowded… and perhaps a little bit friendlier.

Obāsama and Maya had left the estate with Taiga and Minori extra early, to make sure the girls didn't miss their flight due to traffic along the way. The worrisome traffic hadn't materialized, so they had arrived much earlier than expected. Having taken care of the family's businesses for most of her life, Obāsama was used to airports and train stations from all the travel that had been required of her. So, when they discovered that they had some time on their hands, she suggested they get comfortable at one of the few cafe's at the airport. There wasn't much on the cafe's menu, but the seating area did have a nice view of the sea with Tokushima's distant mountain ranges in the background.

The four women sat quietly, some gazing out the windows and others down into the hot cups of tea they had at their little table. The silence was nice at first as each of them had thoughts they wanted to mull over. But, as the minutes dragged on, the lack of conversation started feeling awkward. Maya glanced over at Obāsama to see if she would do something, but the elder only looked back at her and raised an eyebrow.

 _What did that mean?_ Maya panicked a little. The family matriarch still scared her a little when it came to social propriety or responsibility. Maya was trying to learn those things as quickly as she could, but she just didn't have that kind of background. _Does she want me to show her my social skills? Is this some kind of a test? Or is she telling me that these are my friends so it is my responsibility? I… I have to do something!_

"I guess you're looking forward to getting back to Tokyo." Maya asked Taiga and Minori. She knew that both of the girls had enjoyed their stay, but she guessed they might be bored now and ready to return to their homes… Then it hit her that she may have made a huge faux pas. Taiga had become attached to one of the horses in the barn and had spent some time that morning saying goodbye to him. Maya cringed, realizing that her thoughtless question might have been painful for her friend.

"It's always nice to go home, I guess." Minori replied with her characteristic smile as she added, "I don't have any plans though. I was supposed to leave here over a week ago for a baseball camp. But that was in Sendai, so…"

"Ah yes, I remember you had mentioned that. Have you heard from any of your classmates who were also supposed to attend?" Obāsama asked.

"Yes. Fortunately, they are all okay. Only two of them were there when the tsunami hit, and they weren't anywhere close to the flooding." Minori said in a voice that sounded like relief tinged with sadness. She was happy for her friends, but with so many others who had not been so lucky – it was an incomplete happiness.

"How about-" _you Taiga?_ Maya almost asked. But Taiga was staring into her tea emotionlessly, so Maya quickly changed the question to, "… your school? Do you have anything you have to get ready for the coming year?"

"Not really." Minori did want to check on her team and her friends, but there wasn't anything official they needed to do.

"Yes we do." Taiga glanced up from the green swirls in the tea she had been stirring and reminded her pink haired friend, "We need to look into the Tea Ceremony club. Remember?"

"Oh yeah, I guess there's that." Minori agreed.

"I guess I need to find out about it at my University too." Maya added. As far as she knew, none of them had yet told Ami about the friendly competition they had all agreed on with Kawashima Anna. But, with Ami's mother involved, she didn't think it would take too much coercion.

Obāsama was about to comment on the girls being so enthusiastic about Kawashima Anna's interesting challenge, but her attention shifted to the number of people suddenly moving toward all the televisions. There was one located near them, so they turned to see what was going on. They couldn't hear what the announcer was saying, but the message crawl at the bottom of the screen was quite concerning.

TOKYO DRINKING WATER IS FOUND TO BE RADIOACTIVE. UNTIL THE SITUATION IS STABILIZED, THE GOVERNMENT IS RECOMMENDING AN ADVISORY AGAINST TRAVEL TO THE FOLLOWING AREAS: THE EASTERN HALF OF THE FUKUSHIMA PREFECTURE, THE ENTIRETY OF THE IBARAKI PREFECTURE, THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CHIBA PREFECTURE, THE EASTERN PART OF THE SAITAMA PREFECTURE, THE EASTERN PART OF THE KANAGAWA PREFECTURE AROUND YOKOHAMA, AND THE EASTERN HALF OF THE TOKYO PREFECTURE.

The message repeated twice more before anyone at the table could take their eyes away from the screen. The sound of a message ping on Maya's phone finally snapped them out of their trance of disbelief.

"I had no idea that the damage to the power-plant was that bad." Obāsama said in a stricken voice.

"Can the radiation make it… all the way here?" Minori asked aloud.

"No." Maya answered Minori's question but was looking at her cell phone and reading a text from her husband. "Noto says that none of the currents of water or air are flowing in this direction. So, we should be safe here."

"Attention in the terminal. For passengers with tickets to airports in the Tokyo vicinity – or any airports in the advisory zone, please see your airline representative or travel attendant. At this time, all travel to airports in the advisory zone is suspended. Attention in the terminal…" the message repeated but all four of the women at the table had heard it and understood the implications to their plans.

"Well, I can't say that is unhappy news… at least for me." Obāsama said with unexpected cheerfulness.

"Huh?" Maya, Taiga, and Minori looked at her with astonishment.

"Since you cannot return home just yet, you will both be coming back to the estate – will you not?" the old woman asked the two girls sitting next to stuffed suitcases.

"Yeah… I guess you're right. If you'll have us." Taiga replied while Minori just looked at her ticket and wondered when all this chaos would end and she could go back to concentrating on her sport.

"Of course you are welcome. Honestly, I have quite enjoyed having so many lively people in the old estate. It hasn't hosted so many… pleasant people for a very long time. I actually prayed for some play of fate, to extend your visit for as long as possible." the old woman said with a smile.

"Wow, who did you make that prayer to?" Taiga smirked a bit at the absurdity of the thought that had just crossed her mind.

"What?" Obāsama was confused.

"Just sayin… granting a wish that we could stay a little longer is one thing, but..." Taiga's inappropriate humor was cut short though, when she felt her head suddenly pushed down into a forced bow. "Hey!"

"Thank you for your generous hospitality, Obāsama." Minori gave the appropriate thanks while she held Taiga's head down and bowed herself. She shot a menacing glance at her friend until Taiga mumbled a similar thanks.

"I am glad to have you. Now, you two should go see about your tickets. Maya-chan and I will stay here and watch your luggage." Obāsama told them while trying not to laugh at the two girls' antics.

"Thank you, Obāsama." both of the girls said before trotting off to stand in line with everyone else that needed to figure out what to do in the face of the announcement.

.

"I must say, I continue to be impressed by the friends that you and Noto have introduced me to." Obāsama told Maya after the two friends had left.

"Yes." Maya agreed, "Noto is… very impressive."

"I meant both of you." Obāsama said sternly, "I'm sure Shinako has warned you about the internal sparring in our family. You will inevitably hear a slur against Noto that he is not qualified to lead the family. One of the hurtful reasons they will give will be the claim that he showed poor judgment in that… he did not marry well."

"Ah!" Maya recoiled.

"You must toughen yourself against those that will say such things. And to help you with that armor, allow me to say this as clearly as possible: Noto _did_ marry well. I am very pleased with Maya-chan. And, with you as their mother, I believe that there will soon be a generation of Hisamitsu children to be proud of." Obāsama decreed.

"Thank you very much, Obāsama." Maya bowed as she accepted the praise.

"You don't have to be so formal with me." Obāsama chuckled.

"I'm sorry. It's just… you know that I come from a small family. I can't help but feeling a little… nervous around my mother-in-law, I guess." Maya explained.

"Ha! Big family or small, I think any bride would feel nervous around her mother-in-law. I know I did." Obāsama admitted in hopes of helping Maya to relax.

"You, Obāsama? You were intimidated by your mother-in-law?" Maya was stunned. She couldn't imagine the powerful Obāsama being intimidated by anyone.

"Oh yes. That woman was cold as stone, hard as steel, and sharp as a bowling ball." the old woman said with a twisted smile.

 _Bowling ball?_

Maya's jaw dropped, then she laughed quietly and Obāsama laughed along with her. The joke had been totally unexpected, so it was extremely effective.

Amidst the turmoil and confusion all around them in the airport, the two women at the small table in the café laughed away their worries and felt a little better than before.

.

 **Wednesday afternoon, March 23rd – 20 meters over the Coral Sea**

* * *

The two WIGs raced across the southern Pacific ocean, only a few meters above the waves and swells. They were still over an hour from their destination in Brisbane when one of the cabin crew came back to find someone still awake. Leaning into each other in their reclined seats, Ami and Ryuuji were fast asleep on one side of the passenger area, with Deena and Aiko-chan asleep on the other side. One row back, Yasuko was reading from one of the Japanese entertainment magazines that had run a feature on Ami and her Australian debut, with Yuri next to her and, like the others, fast asleep. All the rest of their party were on the other WIG craft.

A crew-member approached Yasuko at first, but he didn't speak any Japanese and Yasuko didn't speak any English. She thought about waking Yuri, but remembered that it was actually Deena's job to be the go-between. Signaling the crewman to wait a moment, she got up from her seat and moved up to where Deena and Aiko-chan were sitting.

"Deena-chan. Deena-chan." Yasuko shook the tall blond Australian's shoulder while calling her name. It took a while since Deena's experience in the RAAF had made her adept at being able to sleep on airplanes.

"Huh?" Deena rubbed the sleep out of her eyes when she saw Yasuko kneeling next to her. "Are we there yet?"

"Not yet, Deena-chan. But one of the crew-members needs to talk to you." Yasuko then looked away and blushed with the embarrassment of her inadequacy, "Well… he needs to talk to someone that understands English."

"Onee-chan, it is nothing to be embarrassed about." Deena said compassionately as she got up from her seat.

"Well… if they are going to be doing more travel for their performances, I… I should learn it so I can be more useful." Yasuko admitted a concern that she had been thinking about for a while.

"Have you talked to Yuri about it?" Deena asked while they traded places and Yasuko's thigh became Aiko-chan's lap pillow.

"Yuri-chan?" Yasuko wondered.

"Well, she is one of your best friends, and she is an English teacher. Right?" Deena was stunned when she saw the look of dawning realization on Yasuko's face. Feeling equal measures of exasperation and humor, she thought to herself, _Oh Onee-chan, you've been in the same room when Yuri was taking everyone through English exercises. And, you've been by her side since this trip started. Can you really be that dense?_

The crew-member watched the blond get out of her seat and stand up. He had seen her several times, but never so close – and he was suddenly made aware of just how tall she was as she towered over him.

Yasuko watched the two talking quietly in the aisle while she petted Aiko-chan's long hair with gentle loving strokes. The little girl was looking more and more like a young woman, but she was still a little girl inside and Yasuko wanted to protect that innocence as long as she could. Seeing her sleeping face, she was reminded of that innocence and of her own conviction to the little girl. She noticed that she no longer heard the conversation going on next to her and looked back up to see only Deena.

Deena was shocked from what she had just been told. She looked over at Ryuuji and Ami, but they were still asleep. And, this was something she didn't want to have to tell them until she had to. But, it could mean a severe change in their plans. _What should I do? I know they all want to go home but…_ Deena turned and saw that Yasuko was watching her with some concern.

"Deena-chan, what is it?" Yasuko asked.

"Onee-chan. They… the crew passed on to me some troubling news from Japan." Deena said as she knelt next to the seated woman. She handed over the sheet that had the message on it but she knew that Yasuko couldn't read the language. "To sum it up, it is an announcement from the Japanese government that radiation has been found in the drinking water of Tokyo."

"Radiation?" Yasuko asked with alarm.

"Yes. Apparently, the problem at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant was worse than anyone expected. And… it's not just Tokyo. The regions around Tokyo are also affected." Deena said.

"But… that's where we live." Yasuko replied in disbelief, "What should we do?"

"For now, they haven't mentioned trying to evacuate the area. But, until they have the drinking water issue under control… I don't think you can go home."

"Oh no." Yasuko glanced down at the sleeping child in her lap and felt the sadness build. Little Aiko-chan had shown a lot of spirit with her performances and her overall attitude. But Yasuko knew that the little girl was getting homesick. And it wasn't just her. All of them were ready to go home. And now… what? "Deena-chan, what should we do?"

"I… I don't know." Deena knew that they were all getting homesick as well. It would be easy enough to arrange for a place for them to stay for a while, but a cure for their homesickness? That was a trick she hadn't yet learned.

"Will you talk to Ryu-chan and Ami-chan when they wake up?" Yasuko asked.

"Yes, of course." Deena answered.

"Oh… well then, it will be okay." Yasuko relaxed back into the seat and closed her eyes.

"What? Onee-chan, how is this okay?" Deena gaped.

"If you three put your heads together, I'm sure you'll figure something out." Yasuko said with so much certainty that it almost pulled Deena into a state of shock.

After several minutes of staring at the blond Japanese woman, Deena finally shook her head and stood back up. The level of trust that had just been placed on her felt like the weight of the world at the moment. Still stunned, she stumbled over to the empty seat next to Yuri and collapsed into it. It was another few minutes before she realized that the high school teacher wasn't sleeping after all.

"She really got you, didn't she?" Yuri chuckled.

"Did you hear everything?" Deena wondered at how she could be laughing after the devastating news.

"Only that she is going to be counting on the three of you - Ryuuji, Ami, and you, to come up with a solution to whatever it is." Yuri smirked, "No pressure."

"The drinking water in and around Tokyo is contaminated with radiation. None of you can go home." Deena said quietly.

Yuri's smirk went away and she sat up in stunned disbelief. She was hoping that the tall Australian was joking, but Deena looked quite serious.

"And it's not the three of us. I'm going to insist that you be part of the conversation too. After all, as a High School teacher, you are the most responsible Japanese adult here, right. I'll be counting on you to lead us all to a solution that will make everyone happy." Deena raised an eyebrow at the now wide awake sensei and returned the phrase, "No pressure."

"No… pressure." Yuri repeated as she now felt the burden being passed to her. Indeed, Deena was leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes even as Yuri shuddered at the anticipation of the task now before her. For a moment, she remembered the class trip that was supposed to go to Okinawa and how disappointed the class had been with her backup plan to go skiing in the mountains instead. Then she thought of something that might get her out from underneath this burden of responsibility, "Hey, I'm just a school teacher – but you're a member of the military and representing your government. Doesn't that make you the most responsible adult here?"

"Australian!" Deena chimed with a smile. She had anticipated this maneuver.

"Huh?" Yuri didn't see how that had anything to do with it.

"The discussion of a bunch of Japanese citizens discussing their return to Japan is a Japanese affair and should be led by a Japanese person. I will certainly help out in as much as me or my government can, but it is a Japanese matter. Don't you agree, sensei?" Deena smiled.

Yuri's mouth was open – ready to launch an objection… but there was no valid objection and she knew it. And, the smug look on Deena's face didn't help her mood. Glaring at the blond Aussie pretending to rest comfortably in her seat, Yuri grumbled, "You don't play fair!"

.

* * *

.

 **Glossary**

 **Fukushima** **Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster** : After the cooling system is swamped by the tsunami on the 11th of March, a series of disasters begins. Several meltdowns and explosions over the next four days prompts an evacuation of everyone in the area, out to 10km. The failed facility is 230km from Tokyo to the south, and 95km from Sendai to the north.

 **Fukushima Prefecture** : A region adjacent to, and North of the Ibaraki Prefecture.

 **Ibaraki Prefecture** : A region adjacent to, and North of Tokyo.

 **Chiba Prefecture** : A region adjacent to, and east of Tokyo.

 **Saitama Prefecture** : A region adjacent to, and west of Tokyo.

 **Kanagawa Prefecture** : A region adjacent to, and south of Tokyo. This region includes the coastal city of Yokohama.


	11. Chapter 11 - Tin Roof, Rusted

**Wednesday evening, March 23rd – 1Km over the Tokushima Awaodori Airport**

* * *

Shinako had never liked flying. But for the moment, there was no other practical option. She had gotten her courage up by telling herself that it was only a short flight… but that had been over two hours ago. Almost an hour more than the flight was supposed to take. And now, she found herself clutching Noto's arm in growing panic as she heard the announcement over the intercom, that their flight would be in the holding pattern for another ten minutes.

Japan's vaunted transportation efficiency still wasn't doing so well after almost two weeks since the disaster. Then again, most of the trains in the northern part of Honshu were still not running. The Shinkansen tracks weren't affected by the tsunami, but the earthquake had damaged tracks, tunnels, and bridges. The repair crews had vowed to work around the clock to get it operational in time for Golden Week, and it looked like they might actually accomplish that goal. But many of the coastal routes that used conventional trains and trolleys, hadn't been as lucky. In fact, many of the coastal tracks, and some of the bridges, had been completely washed away. Those local routes would take years to repair… if they were repaired at all. The government and the rail operator wanted to rebuild the rails and the towns that had been destroyed – but there was another problem. Sixty kilometers of coastline between Iwaki and Soma were now in the evacuation zone for the troubled nuclear power plants, and there was no prediction when it would be safe to return their either to rebuild, or to live.

But, when one transportation option is lost, others will respond to the needs of moving passengers and shipping freight. Ferries, buses, and airplanes took up the challenge to get people where they needed to go. Since Japan was a country that made heavy use of it's rail, these alternate land, air, and sea options were facing quite a challenge. Despite having brought in additional vehicles and running more routes than ever before, they were running at full capacity every day. And, they would continue to do so… at least until trains started to run again.

To be fair, and give credit where it is due, these alternates had been able to safely ramp up their operations and accommodate the needs of the daily travelers in record time. Of course, many people would point out that such flexibility and resilience should be expected of a people whose homeland sits at the intersection of volcano, earthquake, tsunami, and typhoon.

Still, the announcement that the water in Tokyo was contaminated with radiation had put another layer of misfortune on the travelers in the effected areas. Since Noto and Shinako were not flying into the effected area, they had hoped that they wouldn't be subject to the ensuing chaos. But, that's not how air traffic works. When you deny all but emergency landings at two of the busiest airports in the nation, all of those inbound flights have to go somewhere. And the trickle effect means that even planes bound to an out-of-the-way place like Tokushima, will end up in a holding pattern while everything is worked out.

"What's wrong?" Noto asked in response to the death grip his cousin had on his arm.

"I'm tired of circling around up here… will we ever get back down?" Shinako tried to sound more angry and less frightened, but her trembling jaw wasn't helping her to project that image.

"Oh, one way or the other… we'll get back down." Noto said off-handedly as he looked at the mountains of Shikoku through the window.

"What do you mean?" Shinako was eager to know what this _other way_ of getting back down to the ground might be.

"These planes don't carry an infinite amount of fuel, you know." Noto said with a chuckle. But he realized that his humor hadn't worked as he had intended when Shinako's grip on his arm tightened to the point that it threatened to shut off the flow of blood to his hand. Taking his attention away from the window, he pulled his panicking cousin into a side-hug and comforted her with an apology, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't realize how… frightened you were. But, please don't worry too much. I think this will be our last delay."

"Why is that?" Shinako asked hopefully.

"The other announcements have been for half hours. This one was only for ten minutes. I think it's because they finally have a slot for us in the landing pattern." Noto said encouragingly.

"Oh… that does sound good." Shinako breathed a little easier and finally relaxed her grip a little on the arm that she clung to.

Noto could feel his fingers tingle after Shinako relaxed her grip. Flexing his fist to get the blood flowing again, he decided to keep his other thoughts to himself. _This kind of plane isn't fitted out for long endurance flights. We probably have a landing slot now because we are running low on fuel._ The view out the window didn't just show him the mountain ranges that surrounded Tokushima to the north and south. He could see that there were several other planes in the sky that were circling like they were… also waiting their turn to land.

.

An hour later, they were finally off the plane and walking to the reception area to meet their family and friends. There was one stop they had to make first though. Shinako was pulling hard to make it through the doorway, but Noto stood resolute and would not enter. She looked back at him as if he were playing a cruel joke on her.

"Noto… why?" Shinako begged.

"You have to let go of me now." Noto explained.

"Do I?" she pleaded.

"We're off the plane now. You should be able to calm down and let go." he reasoned.

"But..." she started to object.

"Even if you are still scared, I just cannot go into the women's restroom with you." Noto said gently, "You need to let go."

"Ah." Shinako looked at the symbol for women that was emblazoned above the doorway she was trying to go through. The logic of what Noto was saying was finally penetrating the panic induced haze that was clouding her mind. "Of course… you're right."

Noto watched patiently as she slowly released his arm. He could see her shudder as she took a tentative step away.

"Promise you'll wait for me!" she pleaded before she moved too far away.

"I might be in the men's side, but I'll come right back here for you when I get out. Okay?" Noto promised.

A few minutes later, Shinako was standing over a sink in the women's rest room and looking at her drenched face in the mirror. She had splashed water on her face several times in an effort to calm down. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ _I'm acting like a frightened child. I am clinging to Noto like he is a father, or an uncle. He's a cousin… and a younger one at that! That is unacceptable Shinako! UNACCEPTABLE!_ _I am the Hisamitsu family enforcer, the right arm of Obāsama, and the future aide of Noto-sama. I cannot be seen like this. No, I cannot BE like this! So why?_ _Why am I… so… scared?_ She knew that she didn't like flying but she had flown many times nonetheless – and never had she experienced such a reaction of such deep, bone shaking fear. She quickly blotted her face and dried her hands while she took several deep breaths. When she was done, Shinako looked at her hands. They were still shaking, but not nearly as much. Squaring her shoulders as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she prepared herself to walk back out into the public. _I'll be okay if it's only this much._ _I mustn't keep everyone waiting._

When she emerged from the restroom, she found Noto waiting for her as promised. He held out a hand for her to take.

"I'm not afraid." _anymore._ Shinako said defiantly.

"Of course you're not. But the concourse is packed and I don't want to lose you in the crowds." Noto replied.

"Yes, Noto-sama. Thank you… for your consideration." Shinako said as she took the offered hand.

.

"There they are! Maya called out. She hadn't realized just how much she had been looking forward to seeing Noto again until she heard the thrill… and the volume of her own voice. Several people turned to see the exuberant girl with the orange-brown hair practically bouncing on her toes despite the blush of embarrassment on her face.

"What are you, a child?" Taiga chided. Some of the reason for her snappy comment came from the fact that she couldn't see anyone arriving. At her diminutive height, she couldn't see more than the backs of other people's heads and shoulders.

"I for one, hope that she can maintain that childlike excitement and innocence for a long, long time. It pains me to think that one day this family may change her into something jaded and bitter." Obāsama said quietly to Taiga.

"Yeah." Taiga thought about her own recent experience on Midnight Star and how it had taken her back to the happier times of her own childhood, and let her forget the disappointments of her later years… for a while. "You're right. I'd trade jaded and cynical for happy and childlike any day."

"Hmmm." Obāsama gave Taiga an appraising look. "Your parents are still alive, are they?"

"Yeah, why?" Taiga choked at the strange question.

"I was just thinking that, with Noto married to Maya, I don't have any young men in the family that are worthy of marrying you. But, if I adopted you…" Obāsama tapped her chin and had a thoughtful look as if she were seriously considering it.

"Hah! If you adopted me, I would be Noto's aunt. I think that would be too weird for everyone." Taiga laughed.

"Then I'll have Noto and Maya adopt you." Obāsama suggested with a twisted smile.

"Gak!" Taiga choked at the even stranger idea, "Then I would be the daughter of my high school classmate!"

"I was only joking about that one." Obāsama reassured Taiga after having her fun.

Just ahead of Taiga and Obāsama, Minori and Maya were waving frantically for Noto to see them. It didn't seem that either of them had heard the strange conversation. And Taiga was thankful for that.

.

 **Wednesday evening, March 23rd – Brisbane, Australia**

* * *

Deena and Yuri had waited until the last possible moment to tell the rest of the group about the bad news. The WIGs had landed back at their port in Brisbane, so Ami and her entourage were all back in their hotel rooms and had enjoyed a refreshing shower. And now, they were all gathered together in the lobby that connected all their rooms.

Ryuuji could see the baleful looks that haunted Deena and Yuri. And, to some extent, his mother. He checked his phone for messages but another bulletin caught his eye first. He had just about finished reading it when he heard Yuri call out to everyone.

"If I could have your attention for a few minutes. There is something important." Yuri waited until everyone had looked up. Having just refreshed themselves, Yuri found herself looking at their generally happy and curious faces and decided that… she just couldn't do it. "Yes… I need your attention because there is something important that… Deena needs to tell you."

"WHAT!" Deena had prepared herself to support Yuri when she made this announcement but…

"Gomen'nasai!" Yuri bowed and put her hands together to entreat the big Aussie to save her from this.

"You little bludger!" Deena snorted but she could see just how difficult this was for Yuri. She was about to bail out the teacher and tell everyone for her when Ryuuji spoke up.

"Is this about the radiation in the water in Tokyo?" he asked. His question had the desired effect. Everyone in the room turned to Ryuuji now. And, he could tell from the surprised look on Deena's face that he had nailed it.

"Ryuuji, what are you talking about?" Hisako demanded. The tone in her voice suggested that this had better not be some kind of sick joke.

"I saw it here." Ryuuji raised his smartphone and showed the news page of one of the services that sent popups to his phone. "They have discovered unsafe levels of radiation in the water supply in Tokyo and some of the areas that surround the city.

"Are they evacuating everyone?" Nanako asked.

"No, but they aren't letting any flights come into the city at the moment. So, that will change our plans about going home for a while."

"Onee-chan…" the youngest member of their party buried her face in Yasuko's chest and cried. Through her quiet sobs, everyone in the room could hear her plaintive plea, "I just want to go home."

"It will be okay." Yasuko said as she stood up and pulled Aiko-chan along with her, "Why don't we go back into our room and you can call your parents… see how they're doing and just talk to them for a bit. Does that sound good?"

"Yes!" Aiko-chan wiped her tears as she left the room with her caring Onee-chan.

"Great… now what am I going to do?" Nanako said after the two were gone.

"What do you mean?" Ryuuji asked.

"Well, Onee-chan is gone and I need someone to carry me back to my room and make me feel better." Nanako pouted with a twinkle in her purple eyes.

"Ah!" Hisako jolted from her upset stance as if she had touched a bare electrical wire. Immediately, she swept Nanako up into a princess carry and headed back toward their room.

"Wait a minute! What about the change in plans that this means for us?" Yuri called out to the departing duo.

"You and Ryuuji can deal with it. I have something more important to take care of." Hisako called back without breaking her stride.

"And then there were six." Deena said as she shook her head.

"Four." Suzume said as she stood and pulled Umeki up with her. "We're going to call our parents too."

"That's probably best." Yuri agreed.

Ami could see that both Yuri and Deena were very concerned about all of this, but Ryuuji was looking at his phone again.

"Do you two need to check on anyone?" Deena asked Ryuuji and Ami.

"No." Ryuuji put his phone down and told them, "Ami's mother, my grandparents, and our son are all in Tokushima. There is no danger there."

"They're still in Tokushima?" Ami asked. She hadn't been in contact with her mother in several days, but she thought she was supposed to head out to Kyoto or Kyushu for some filming. That would still be safe though. Neither of those locations were close to Tokyo, and both of them were even farther away from Fukushima or any of the flood devastated areas.

"Yes." Ryuuji informed answered his wife, then turned to Yuri to assure her about her son, "Ryan is also still at the Hisamitsu estate."

"Thank you, Ryuuji." Yuri sighed and said, "I feel so guilty about leaving him there for them to take care of for so long. I'm going to owe them so much."

"Heh," Ryuuji chuckled when he remembered what Noto had told him during the call.

"What?" Yuri wondered how taking advantage of her friends as she had, could be construed into something humorous.

"Noto's grandmother – and all the other women there, have already decided on the price you will be paying." Ryuuji prompted.

"Eh?" Yuri wondered about these other women. _There would be Noto's grandmother, Ryuuji's grandmother, Ami's mother, and… a few of my former students._ She swallowed hard when she realized that one of them was Aisaka Taiga. _What kind of payment would such a group have agreed on._

"It seems that little Ryan is now destined to become Noto and Maya's son-in-law when he is old enough." Ryuuji told the worried teacher.

"What?" Yuri stammered, "You're joking of course. Nobody does arranged marriages any more."

"The elite and the nobility still do." Deena pointed out. She wasn't really sure of that, but it was portrayed in a lot of manga and anime.

"And the Hisamitsu family is about as close to royalty as you are likely to get in Japan… without visiting the Imperial palace." Ami added.

"But!" Yuri was too frazzled to tell if they were serious or just picking on her.

"He's not alone though." Ryuuji turned to Ami and told her, "They've made the same plans for Tatsuya."

"I knew my mother was up to something." Ami grouched. She didn't hate the idea of her son marrying a Hisamitsu girl on some far-off day, but the idea that her mother was making these arrangements without telling her…

"I guess that's where you should try to go then." Deena suggested.

"Huh?" Ryuuji didn't see how their discussion of marrying off their kids fit with Deena's comment.

"All your friends and relatives are in Tokushima now, right? So, you could fly into Osaka and get to Tokushima without having to deal with any of the restrictions around Tokyo." Deena explained.

"That's… not a bad idea." Ryuuji agreed as he considered it. "They probably can't deal with nine more guests at the Hisamitsu Estate, but I'm sure we can find a hotel around there somewhere."

"Nine?" Deena asked.

"Um… yes. Unless you're planning on coming back with us." Ryuuji quipped.

"Well… I had been thinking about taking some leave… and… you know." the tall blond woman pouted while she twitched her shoulders and twiddled her fingers. A look that would have been unbelievably cute on someone younger and shorter like Aiko-chan, but just wrong on the big military woman. She gazed up at their blank stares and realized that she was the only one in the room that understood anime references.

.

 **Wednesday late evening, March 23rd – Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

Noto finished his phone call and went back into the room full of adults and infants. His wife was breastfeeding one of their twins while Shinako was feeding the other one from a bottle. Minori was taking care of Yuri's son while Taiga was feeding Ryuuji and Ami's son. Noto was glad that Taiga held no animosity for the child of the rival that had captured the heart of the man that she had loved. In fact, she had the maternal appearance of contentment, happiness, and amazement as she watched the child's cherubic face. Obāsama, Ryuuji's grandparents, and Ami's mother were seated around the table and having some tea.

"Was that Ryuuji?" Takasu Ojiisan asked.

"Yes. It sounds like they are all getting a case of homesickness and want to go back to Tokyo." Noto chuckled as he looked up from his phone.

"They heard the news, didn't they?" Takasu Obāsan asked.

"Yeah. They didn't like it but they all realize that they can't go home just yet. At least, not to Tokyo." Noto told them.

"Did you tell them that they could come here?" Obāsama asked her grandson with a guarded expression.

"I told them I would talk to you about it." Noto replied, "There will be ten of them coming back."

"Ten?" Kawashima Anna asked.

"Deena-chan would like to come back with them." Noto said.

"Deena-chan… the Australian military woman that was involved with rescuing Nanako-chan from Izu?" Obāsama asked.

"She rescued me too." Maya spoke up, "I know I was losing it when I saw Nanako lying on that table. If they hadn't come when they did..."

"It's safe to say, they rescued all three of us." Noto admitted.

"Of course she is welcome to come here. With the group we already have here, ten more might make this old place a little cramped, but we can make it work.

"I… I suppose we could go home." Takasu Ojiisan offered reluctantly. He would like to have seen his grandson before he left. _But… I suppose there will be other occasions to see Ryuuji and his family._

"And we could take Nanako and Hisako with us back to the apartment near the college." Maya offered… even though she had wanted to see Ami again.

Taiga could see the sadness creeping into Obāsama's face at loosing her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and friends that she had made. She also knew when people were offering to do things that they really didn't want to. But another idea came to her. One that she was sure would make everyone happier. And one that would give Obāsama a chance to see her old home truly bursting with life again.

"Baka, no-one needs to go home!" Taiga announced, "Minori and I could take a couple of them up to the cabin. Then there will be plenty of room here and we can have one more horseback ride up the mountain before we all have to go back to school."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Obāsama clapped her hands. Her guarded expression gone in a flash, lest someone think that it would be too much of a strain and insist on leaving.

"Who would you like to take up there?" Noto asked while his mind did the math on the available rooms at the estate.

"I dunno. I heard that most of them went on a trail-ride when they went to Hawaii, but a trail-ride and going up a mountain are a little different. I guess whoever feels up to it can go." Taiga replied.

"You should ask Ami to go." Minori said quietly to her friend.

"I don't think so." Taiga dismissed the suggestion quietly as she looked back at the child now sleeping in her arms.

"Why not?" Minori asked in a tone that sounded like she was running out of patience.

"Get real Minorin," Taiga laughed it off, "I don't know when the last time she saw her mother was, but she hasn't seen her son in over three weeks, right? Do you really think she'll want to head out on a trail-ride as soon as she gets here?"

"Oh… yeah." Minori was shocked. Taiga's reply was actually thoughtful and logical. Using the same logic, Minori now realized that neither Ryuuji nor Yuri-sensei would be joining them either. Minori didn't know whether to be happy that Taiga was actually trying to help out, or upset because another opportunity for her to talk things out with Ami would be lost… again. _Oh Taiga, you can't run from her forever._

.

 **Thursday afternoon, March 24th – Brisbane Airport**

* * *

The hotel's passenger bus pulled up to the airport. Only something that large could have taken all of them, and their luggage. All but Ryuuji were dressed in more of the fashion outfits that were reminiscent of their walk at the opening ceremony for the Melbourne Fashion show. Though nothing like the avant-garde outfit he had worn on the red carpet, Ryuuji _was_ wearing a fashion design. It was by the same designer that had made the outrageous industrial Gothic outfit he had worn before, but today's garment was more in the fashion of a business suit. Although… with it's sharp angular design and severe cut, it still had the distinctive look of a Hellivin. He would rather have worn something more comfortable, like pajamas, for the nine hour flight to Osaka – but there was a reason for all this fancy dress. There would be one last photo shoot of the models and their entourage at the Brisbane airport before their all-night flight back to Japan.

A production coordinator had arrived at the hotel to give them all some brief training and tell them what to expect when they got to the airport. They had all been carefully instructed in what to do and, despite Yuri-sensei's overruled objection, they would _all_ be participating.

First, porters would come onto the bus and remove all the luggage. Then Deena would get off the bus and help Aiko-chan down the short steps to the curb. The two of them would walk together between the two rows of photographers. Some people might have thought that the big Aussie was there to provide assurance to the little girl, but it was quite the other way around. As an idol and the lead singer of a popular band, Aiko-chan was comfortable being in front of crowds and photographers. She would be helping her taller friend to walk at the right pace and giving her the courage to face the numerous cameras.

Suzume would follow with Umeki. The two friends would walk hand in hand while smiling and waving at the photographers and any onlookers that might be there. Umeki wasn't as camera shy as Deena or Yuri, but she was glad that her model friend was there to hold her hand as they took their turn walking through the aisle of photographers.

Then it would be the comedic duo of Yasuko and Yuri. Since their very first appearance where Yasuko dragged the petrified teacher out of the limousine and teased her as they went down the red carpet – not to mention all the times the feisty blond chased down her friend with the threat of tickling her in front of a live audience, the two had been quite a hit to the Australians. And this last time was to be no different. Despite Yuri's desire to walk down the aisle as quickly as possible and get this over with, Yasuko took every opportunity to stop and pose for the photographers – always pulling Yuri into the shot and holding onto her in affectionate looking hugs. Each time they stopped, poor Yuri's blush got worse until she was shockingly red faced and somewhat dizzy by the time they got to the end of the carpet.

Next, Hisako and Nanako would be making the walk. But Hisako had a surprise in store for everyone. She was inspired when she saw the elegant business suit she would be wearing, and the flowing gauzy dress that Nanako had on. Nanako's dress was a pearl white with purple trim and highlights that matched her hair and eyes. But to Hisako, it reminded her of a western style wedding dress.

Nanako watched her tall girlfriend step out of the bus and turn to offer her hand, just as they had planned. She stepped out onto the curb just as she was supposed to, but was astonished to feel herself suddenly hefted into the air. She knew the feeling instantly and looked up to see Hisako's hopeful expression. She knew she could easily have teased her girlfriend in a situation like this… but not in front of the cameras. Instead, she let Hisako know her approval by wrapping her arms around the tall girl's neck and holding on as she was princess carried past all the photographers. She would be surprised later by the photographs that showed just how happy she looked as she was carried down the aisle by Hisako.

"If you try anything like that, I'll bite your ear off." Ami warned Ryuuji.

"I wouldn't dare." Ryuuji replied with both of his hands raised in a defensive gesture.

"All right then. Smiles on… and no funny business." Ami forgot who she was talking to for a moment until she looked at Ryuuji trying to smile. She could imagine the photographers dropping their cameras and running away in panic. "Never mind about the smile… but no funny business."

"Okay." Ryuuji said as he swung himself out the exit and turned to offer his hand to his wife. She took his hand and emerged in a black evening dress that beautifully displayed her lovely curves and complemented her blue hair. They walked hand-in-hand until they were halfway down the aisle, when Ryuuji pulled her in close and kissed her. She was stunned that he would do something so brazen… but this wasn't Japan and his kiss… She found herself lost in his kiss – the sound of cameras and the flashes fading from her hearing and sight. But, he broke off the kiss before she was completely lost, and guided her the rest of the way up the aisle. When they got to the end of the photo-shoot run, she turned to her husband to confront him about disobeying the 'no funny business' rule.

"Did I do it right?" Ryuuji asked Ami while he put his mirror-shades back on.

"Huh? Did you do _what_ right?" Ami asked.

"The production coordinator lady said I should kiss you, half way up the aisle." Ryuuji said.

"Oh…" Ami felt glad that he hadn't ignored her now, but also a little disappointed that the kiss hadn't been his idea after all.

"I think it was only supposed to be a peck on the cheek." Yasuko laughed, "Not a tongue wrestling, passion flashing orgasma-kiss!"

"It… it wasn't _that_ bad." Ryuuji blushed.

 _It wasn't bad at all._ Ami thought with a quirky smile on her lips that belied her amusement at Ryuuji's embarrassment.

"Deena-chan put her hands over my eyes so I couldn't see it." Aiko-chan pouted.

"I'm sorry, Aiko-chan." Ryuuji said repentantly.

"It's okay." Aiko said, still in her pouty voice, "I'm not as young as I used to be. I wish I could have seen it."

"Not yet you don't!" Deena said authoritatively.

"Then when?" Aiko-chan asked petulantly with her little hands balled into fists.

"Not until you're in middle school… at least!" Deena huffed.

"What? That isn't fair! Why? Why do I have to wait so long just to see someone kissing?" Aiko-chan asked stubbornly.

"Because!" Deena replied just as stubbornly, but their was wetness starting to leak out around her eyes.

"Because why?" Aiko-chan demanded. But she almost gasped and her hands relaxed when she saw the tears starting to roll down her big friend's cheeks.

"Because… I want you to be a little girl for a while longer. I don't want you to grow up without me there to see it. I want… I want you to be my little sister forever." Deena had tried to be strong, but she knew this moment would have come when it was time… time for them to part. _If only things had worked out._

Aiko-chan was crying too. It had been a great plan. Deena-chan would come back to Japan with them and play for a little while longer… But the problem with taking leave when you are in the military is that the leave can be… denied. Deena had been devastated when she found out that she already had some orders waiting for her as soon as her loan to DFAT was completed. Aside from that, her unit wasn't allowing any more personnel to take leave for at least three months.

Ryuuji had tried to point out that three months would be over before the reunion he was planning to host. Trying to put a positive spin on it, he told Deena and Aiko-chan that they would have more freedom to have fun, since Aiko-chan would be on summer break in August.

It's not that his arguments had fallen on deaf ears. But little Aiko-chan was still quite young. August seemed like it was a very long time away. And in the moment of _now_ , the little girl was losing her Deena again. At her age, thinking about the future or the past was hard. Those were the things of whimsy and dreams. What caused hurt or joy, what felt good or bad – those were the things that were happening now. And, for the moment, Aiko-chan didn't like _now_ very much at all.

"Promise you won't forget me!" Aiko-chan demanded.

"Hey, I didn't forget you last time did I?" Deena pouted back at the little girl she held in her arms. "But you better not forget me either."

"How could I ever forget Deena-chaaaaan?" the little girl sobbed as she clung to the neck of the tall blond Aussie.

"Now announcing the boarding call for passengers traveling to Osaka Japan. Please come to your departure gate. Now announcing…" the pleasant voice echoed the message throughout the cavernous terminal in both English and Japanese. The voice was pleasant, and yet it was the last thing some of the people there wanted to hear.

"No! I don't want you to go!" Aiko-chan wailed.

"I'm not the one going this time. But, I know how you feel." Deena cried as she handed the distraught girl over to Ryuuji. "Bye bye, my sweet little Aiko-chan."

And with that, Ryuuji – carrying Aiko-chan, turned and sped away into the International Terminal and off to their departure gate along with Ami and Yasuko. That part had been prearranged with Deena. Everyone knew just how much Aiko-chan hated goodbyes and this would be another goodbye with her cherished Deena. All the adults had said their farewells to their Australian friend when Aiko-chan was distracted, so that they could make a clean break as soon as Deena handed her over. It was the best plan for dealing with the little girl, but that left Deena-chan all alone as she watched her friends leaving her behind.

"Hey." a voice called out from beside Deena.

"Oh, hey." Deena was startled and a little perturbed to see the immaculately groomed, but evil little woman from DFAT now standing to her right.

"They really are good friends of yours, aren't they?" the woman asked.

"Yeah." Deena replied stiffly.

"I just want you to know that I thought it was quite rude to ask someone to do this to their friends. I said as much to my superiors. But, I have to say – you've handled this admirably." the woman said.

Deena blinked when she realized that the woman that had been hounding her since this whole thing had begun, had just said something nice. She was trying to decide whether to thank this woman for the opportunity to be with her friends again, or complain that all of DFAT's meddling had kept her really stressed out the entire time. Asking her to act as a liaison was one thing, but _looking_ the part… Deena didn't think that she would ever feel comfortable with such pretty clothes, makeup, and certainly not high heels.

"I think you were brilliant… even if, you forgot to introduce me to your friends." another voice spoke up from Deena's left.

"Thank you sir! Sorry sir!" Deena didn't have to turn to see who it was. She knew his voice all to well. Still wearing the civilian clothes from the photo-shoot, she tried to stand at attention in the presence of the Air Commodore. "I thought we would have a little more time. Time for me to show them around Brisbane, and take them to the air base. But..."

"They wanted to go home after seeing the news about the tragedies that were happening in Japan." the Air Commodore finished Deena's thoughts. "I suppose I can understand that. Bit of a shame though."

"Why is that, General?" the DFAT woman asked. Her ignorance of the man's proper military rank made Deena wince, but the Air Commodore gave no reaction.

"Well, what with one of my own involved in all this, I read up a bit on these Japanese celebrities." the Air Commodore raised a magazine that he had been carrying and looked at a particular picture fondly. Wistfully, he said, "I would like to have met this… Onee-chan."

Deena turned and gawked at the senior officer… until she realized that she was staring at him. Then she snapped back to attention with her eyes riveted forward as she wondered if she could be court-marshaled for turning her superior officer into an otaku.

.

Ryuuji was stunned when he got onto the plane and the flight attendants ushered him to the First Class section toward the front of the cabin. He thought it was a mistake and was about to challenge the steward that was guiding him, when he saw that everyone in his party was also being ushered forward with him.

"What's going on?" Ami asked as she looked around at the semi-private compartments that were completely unlike the rows of seats that they had been allotted in for the flight from Tokyo to Melbourne.

"I don't know. Maybe there was some kind of mistake." Ryuuji started to dig out the stub of his ticket to see if there was any explanation there.

"There is no mistake." an Asian woman dressed in the livery of the Australian airline told them. Then she asked, "You must be Ryuuji-sama and Ami-sama? Your passage upgrades are complements of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade." she said with a smile as she handed Ryuuji an envelope with an official seal. "The five seats against the windows on the left side are yours, as well as the four seats in the middle that open to the left aisle. Other first class passengers will be in the five window seats along the right side, but privacy curtains will come down after we get to cruising altitude and your group should have a little privacy then."

"Th...thank you." Ryuuji started to bow, but the attendant stopped him.

"I am but the messenger. Your gratitude should be to the nice people that arranged this for you. However…" the stewardess winked, "it looks to me like this was their way of giving their thanks to you."

"Ryuuji still wanted to thank her, but he was interrupted by the tug of his sleeve and looked down to see an upset little girl.

"Do I have to sit by myself?" Aiko-chan had barely gotten over having to say goodbye to her Deena and now she was looking at a semi-private nook that seemed to be made for only one person. "Please… can't I sit with Onee-chan?"

"You're Aiko-chan, aren't you?" the stewardess said as she knelt down to the same level as the young girl.

"Yes." Aiko-chan said bravely. She didn't have to summon her courage to speak to a stranger, she was quite used to that. But she was trying her best not to break into tears again.

"My daughter is a huge fan or yours. When I tell her that I got to see you on this flight, she is going to be so jealous." the stewardess said cheerfully.

"Really?" Aiko-chan's surprise helped to pull her a little bit farther away from her tearful mood.

"That's right. And since she is such a big fan, I'll have to do my best for you on this flight, okay?" the stewardess said.

"Okay." Aiko-chan responded automatically the way a child does when someone says they will do their best.

"So, if it will make you feel better, you only have to sit by yourself during take-off and landing. As soon as the plane is safely in the air, I will come back to you and take you to your Onee-chan. Would you like that?"

"Yes!" Aiko-chan cheered.

"I guess we should get seated then." Ryuuji wanted to hurry up and get this flight started before Aiko-chan remembered that she was leaving her Deena behind and start crying again. But such things were not within his control.

"Not just yet. This is a very large plane and it will be a while before the rest of the passengers are boarded and we are ready to pull away from the gate." the stewardess could see the disappointment in Ryuuji's face, but she wasn't finished, "So, while you are waiting, I have some cute pajamas for you to change into, and some hangers for your nice clothes."

Before anyone could decline, she unfolded a small size set of the pajamas for everyone to see the very comfortable looking fabric that they were made of, and the big stylized animal logo on the back and front.

"That's a kangaroo!" Aiko-chan yelped, "I want to wear the kangaroo pajamas!"

The stewardess smiled at her success of turning the 'moody girl' into the 'excited girl', as Ami leaned over to whisper to her husband.

"She's amazing." Ami said with genuine appreciation of the attendant's child handling skills.

"Yeah." Ryuuji was still too stunned to give more than a monosyllable reply.

"If anything ever happens to your mother and she can't come on one of these trips, we need to hire her." Ami whispered.

"I was just thinking the same thing." Ryuuji said as he accepted the package that contained his personal set of pajamas and slippers.

.

 **Thursday noon, March 24th – Twelve and a half kilometers over the Pacific Ocean**

* * *

As soon as the plane finished climbing to its cruising altitude, there was a welcome distraction for Aiko-chan as well as the others in their party. Instead of immediately taking Aiko-chan from her window seat where she was watching the tops of clouds making long shadows from the setting sun, the stewardess brought Yasuko to the little girl. Aiko-chan eagerly let Yasuko slide into the large seat underneath her.

"What are you looking at?" Yasuko asked as she held the little girl in her lap.

"All the long shadows." Aiko-chan said softly, "They're pretty, but… they seem kinda sad."

"Sunset." Yasuko smiled and rocked the little girl in her arms, "There was a song I used to sing to Ryuuji about sunset."

"A song?" Aiko-chan asked with interest. She was always interested in songs.

"Sunset is the end of the long day. The end of work, the end of play, lots of things end at sunset. But it's not all sad." Yasuko said with a smile.

"It's not?" Aiko-chan was relieved to hear that it wasn't all sad. The idea of so many things ending, didn't sound like a happy thing to her.

"Sunset is the gateway into night. And night is the time to rest and dream of wonderful things!" Yasuko told her.

"Yeah." Aiko-chan thought about what her Onee-chan said while she looked out the window at the puffy white clouds far below. "I wonder if I'll dream of walking on poofy clouds tonight?"

.

Ryuuji was awed and watched with fascination as the seats of each of these first class pods, folded down flat for sleeping. But the stewardesses weren't done yet. A comfortable pillow-top mattress pad was placed over the seat and made up with sheets and pillows. Checking the others, Ami was the only one that didn't seem amazed at all of this. He guessed that, when she was younger, she must have traveled in this kind of first class with her mother. Suzume had an interesting expression too. Her expression concealed laughter and her mouth made a smirk as she watched the opulent accommodation being prepared.

Suzume had heard her sister bragging about how wonderful the Super-Green… Deluxe… Elite… or whatever the new car her older sister got to command was called. It was always Shinkansen this or Shinkansen that with her. Now, Suzume couldn't wait for her sister to start crowing about her vaunted Shinkansen again. She was pretty sure the bullet train had nothing like this, even on its Ultra-Super-Hyper-Green car!

.

Later that night, two of the stewardesses were making their rounds to insure the comfort of their charges and noted that all of the first class passengers were fast asleep, which was normal. Their airline was known to have the most comfortable first class bed in the sky, after all. But there was something unusual in one of the beds. It was an endearing 'something' that the two stewardesses hadn't seen before. And, although it was technically against the rules, they didn't have the heart to disturb or interfere with it. Little Aiko-chan had crawled into Yasuko's bed and the two of them were cuddled up together. Their matching pajamas blended into the color of the sheets so that it wasn't easy to tell how they were entwined. But their faces, partially illuminated under the dim cabin light, reminded the hostesses of sleeping angels. Taking in the blissful sight for a few minutes, the two women eventually walked back to the crew area where it was safe to whisper.

#Are they sisters?#

#What makes you think that?#

#Well, I thought they were mother and daughter, but the little one calls the other one 'Onee-chan' right? Doesn't that mean 'big sister' in Japanese?#

#It does, but it can also be used for someone that _acts_ like a big sister.#

#I don't know about you, but my big sister was a terror.#

#Onee-chan would be for the person who embodies the _ideal_ big sister. The one you _wish_ you had… rather than the terror you got stuck with.#

#Anything unusual?# the senior attendant asked as she arrived from the small kitchen area.

#Nope. Everything is fine. They're all asleep.#

#All right, you two go get some rest. I'll keep watch for a while.# the senior attendant ordered.

#Uh… okay.# the shorter attendant wanted to confess that there was one empty bed and one with two people in it… and she wanted to plea for the senior attendant to make an exception to the rules for the two sleeping angels. But the taller attendant pulled her back toward the shadows at the entrance to the small crew rest area.

Together they hid around the corner and watched as the First Class cabin leader walked out onto the floor to do her own check. She noticed the empty berth first, but that wasn't too unusual in the middle of the night. She guessed the little girl needed a potty break. Then she got to Yasuko's berth and paused just as her juniors had. _Such beautiful angels. Even their sleeping faces convey serenity and… love._ There were rules and regulations… and then there was the perfect beauty attainable only by gods and angels, that no mere mortal should disturb.

The two attendants in the shadows looked on, in quiet awe as their senior stood there in the darkness and watched over the two sleeping angels.

.

 **Friday morning, March 25th – Kansai International Airport, Osaka**

* * *

The Hisamitsu estate didn't have a bus, but they did have several passenger vans that could bring home all the intrepid travelers. One of them had to have the seats installed back into it since the staff had been using it to run errands and fetch supplies for the estate, but that didn't take long. The seats were designed to be easily removed and installed. Even with all the seats installed, the vans were only designed to carry six people including the driver, so only the estate's most skilled drivers would be making the trip to Osaka. However, when it was learned that Deena would not be coming after all, there would be one open seat. Immediately, there was a flurry of interest to go along to pick up their friends.

Although it was initially appealing, the elder group decided to let one of the younger ones take the long trek. It would be much more pleasant to stay in the comfort of the Hisamitsu estate, with Obāsama and all of the grandchildren.

Maya decided to stay for similar reasons. Despite the two locations being geographically close, there were no direct routes from where they were in Tokushima to their destination in Osaka. Tokushima and Osaka were on different islands and the drive would either take them over the bridges of Awaji island and around the circumference of Osaka Bay, or across the Tokushima Wakayama ferry. The route across the island and around the bay would take almost three hours with the ferry route generally an hour and a half longer. They had all learned from their previous trip that going to Osaka and back was an all day affair. Maya knew that, without the children along, she would have to take several breaks throughout the day to express the milk from her breasts. So, she too decided to stay and wait for her friends to come to her.

Noto wanted to go too, but he had finally made it home himself and wasn't eager to run off without his wife so soon after finally seeing her again. So that left Minori and Taiga.

"Rock paper scissors, Minorin?" Taiga pulled up her sleeve and already had her fist ready to go. She was full of eagerness, but Minori just put her hand over Taiga's fist.

"You go. But promise me that you'll ride in the same car with Ami. Promise me that you'll have a proper talk with her." Minori said seriously.

"I don't…" Taiga was ready to say something flippant both to lighten the mood and to get out of promising something that she didn't think was all that big of a deal. But she had seen that serious look on Minori's face before. It didn't happen often, but when it did… it was something that mattered a lot to her pink haired friend. "Of course I'll be riding with Ami! She'll be with Ryuuji and other than Nanako, I don't really know any of the others that well."

"But, you'll talk to her… earnestly, I mean." Minori insisted, "This is important, Taiga. So, promise me you'll talk to her… properly."

"Yeah… I'll do that. I promise." Taiga agreed, but she wanted to get away from the heavy mood that Minori had created. Fortunately, she had help with that.

"Well then…" Kawashima Anna said as she approached the two girls. With her head cocked and a twinkle in her smile, she told the them, "As long as you are going to be talking to my daughter anyway… I have a special request for you."

.

At least, that was what Ami's mother had said the night before the plane was to arrive. Now, Taiga found herself standing at the greeting lobby with a sign that had been made up by Minori, Maya, and even Ami's mother. So that it wouldn't attract gawkers, it didn't say anything about 'Aiko-chan and RBB' - but it did welcome home the Takasu and Hisamitsu parties. Taiga had watched them making the sign and hadn't said anything when they adorned it with colorful drawings of flowers and lots of glitter. She said nothing about how ridiculous the sign was, or how it would make her look like a grade schooler. It infuriated her that they thought they could get away with making her take a sign like that, but she said nothing… she had a backup plan.

So now, thanks to the marker she had secreted in her pocket, all of the fancy drawings and glitter were on the back side of the sign and there was only one thing on the front. In the biggest and boldest letters. The sign proudly called for… DUMB-CHI!

Taiga was wearing a bright and fashionable spring themed dress. It seemed light and delicate, yet still provided a bit of warmth. The temperature wasn't so chilly here, but the airport was on a small island in the Osaka Bay and the humidity from the coastal waters meant that the cool temperature cut right through light clothes. It would also be cooler when they got back to the higher elevations in Tokushima where the Hisamitsu estate was. So Taiga had come prepared.

What she hadn't prepared for, and no-one back at the estate had realized, was that she wouldn't be the only person there waiting for arrivals. And, as short as she was, no-one could see her… or her sign. In frustration, Taiga tried holding the sign up over her head… but that got her some embarrassing comments from the people behind her that saw the glittery message that the others had created.

"Oh, little girl! I think you have your cute little sign turned around the wrong way."

"Isn't she precious!"

"Where are her parents? They shouldn't have left her alone like that."

Taiga pulled the sign back down quickly and tried to keep herself from blowing up at all the well-intentioned but insulting comments. Her hands became fists from the frustration and she crumpled the sides of the sign. The poster-board popped from the stresses she was putting on it and a spray of glitter showered from the pretty side.

"Arrrgh!" Taiga quickly ripped the sign to shreds as she stomped over to the nearest trash can and got rid of the accursed thing.

"Passengers from Brisbane Australia will be arriving now at the North Arrival Gate. Passengers…" the announcement overhead repeated the message that Taiga had been waiting to hear. But now she had no sign to wave at them. She thought about screaming Ryuuji's name as loud as she could when she heard a commotion behind her.

Fortunately, this was an airport and not a mall, or Ami and her group would have been overrun as soon as they were recognized. Ryuuji hadn't thought to have them all in some kind of disguise – or even a change of ordinary clothes. Instead, they were all emerging from the arrival gate in the latest fashions from the Australian designers. And those light and colorful designs were nothing, if not attention getting – which was especially true in an airport full of people that were mostly still wearing drab winter fashions.

"Dammit Dumb-chi!" Taiga hissed and started pushing her way through the crowd to catch them. Since these were people that just wanted to see what was going on, and not some of the more die-hard fans, Taiga was making good headway through the crowd… until she ran into some very tall legs.

"Huh?" the giantess looked down at her and suddenly smiled as she cried out, "Ryuuji-sama! I found the Palm Top Tiger!"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Taiga started to object when Suzume reached down and picked her up. Suzume did a move that she must have practiced before, and before Taiga knew it, she was riding high in the air on Suzume's shoulders. Instead of seeing only people's bellies and backs, Taiga could see over all their heads… all the way to the exit doors. It reminded Taiga of being on Midnight Star and she asked the red haired model, "Jeez girl! Just how tall are you anyway?"

"A hundred and eighty-one centimeters!" Suzume said proudly, then she asked, "Which way should we go, Taiga-san?"

"Oh yeah..." Taiga took a moment to look around and get her bearings. She quickly spotted the doors that they needed to take and pointed as if she were a scout on her trusty steed. "That way."

.

Once they had arrived at the vans, Suzume set Taiga down and they all had a chance to greet her while the porters helped the drivers load the luggage onto the vehicle's roof-top carriers.

"Wow," Taiga exclaimed as she looked around at the the rest of them, "you're all so… tanned."

"Oh yeah, we just spent a couple of days on an island in the South Pacific." Ryuuji said as he seemed to notice it for the first time.

"An island in the South Pacific… isn't that Australia?" Taiga quipped.

"Australia is called the island continent, but the place we were, was much more remote than that. We were the only people on the island." Yuri corrected Taiga's comment and added a little explanation.

"Uh… right." Taiga had forgotten that they had a teacher with them.

"Are you the only one that came out?" Hisako asked. She and Nanako had been living with Noto and Maya while they attended the university in Tokushima, and had become fairly close. Expecting to see them, Hisako was a bit dejected that they hadn't come to greet Nanako and her.

"Yeah," Taiga explained in her own sarcastic way, "There was only one spare seat and I guess I drew the short straw."

"Well, if there was a short straw, it should certainly be yours." Ami said with a cheerful smile.

"Hey!" Taiga railed against the short joke. She was doubly upset with it since she realized she had set herself up for the slam.

"What are our riding arrangements?" Yuri asked. She was still tired and wanted to find her seat and collapse into it.

"I vote the glitter covered shrimp rides in the luggage rack." Hisako suggested. She was still upset that Taiga had made light of her question… and her feelings.

"Hey!" Taiga felt like she was under attack from the very people she had come here to welcome home. Then, it occurred to her that this could be her own fault. _The 'dumb-chi' stuff. The sarcasm and the attitude. I'm sliding back into my old ways. No! I don't want to do that._ After taking a calming breath, she summoned the determination she needed and asked her friends, "Um guys… can we start over?"

"Start over?" Hisako asked with a raised eyebrow. She didn't know Taiga well enough to decide whether this might be a feint for another sarcastic attack, or if the diminutive girl was serious.

"Yeah… I don't want to be like I used to be. You… you know what I mean." Taiga said with an embarrassed pout and looked away from all the eyes that were on her. It was because she was looking away that she didn't see the squishy soft attack until it was too late.

"Thanks for coming to pick us up, Taiga! And you even dressed up too! With that glitter on your dress, you look like a little fairy princess!" Nanako gave her old friend a firm hug.

"Yeah…" Taiga could feel their bodies pressed together from the contact of the embrace. And that meant that she could feel Nanako's firm but soft breasts pressing against her chest.

...her flat chest.

...her very flat chest.

Taiga sighed at this total defeat but was able to reply to Nanako's warm, but emotionally painful greeting, "Really… thanks sooooo much."

.

From the airport, their route would take them through the southern part of Osaka, across the forested hills and down into Wakayama – to it's sea port. After an hour of driving that route, the two vans were pulling onto the ferry that was about to depart from Wakayama to Tokushima. This route normally took longer than going back the way the vans had come. But it was later in the day now and traffic through Osaka back to Awaji Island would be insane. It might not take any more time than the ferry route, but everyone's nerves would be quite frazzled by the time they got to their destination. This way, there would be a couple of hours for them to wander about the large ferry and relax while they made their way across the fifty-five kilometers of sea that separated the two ports.

However, before they arrived at the seaport, Ryuuji insisted that they stop at a place to pick up some _appropriate clothing_. Even if they had pulled the suitcases down from the roofs of the vans, all the clothes they had with them was for an Australian summer, and certainly not warm enough for an early Japanese spring. Besides, after the attention they attracted at the airport, none of them had the energy for a repeat of that on the ferry… or anywhere else they might want to stop.

Taiga watched with amusement as her friends and acquaintances went into a generic department store wearing the absolute newest fashions from some of Australia's most recognized designers. They shocked the sales staff as they found generic clothing and bagged up their finery, leaving the store looking… ordinary. Well, as ordinary as a bunch of well tanned people would look at the beginning of spring in Japan.

Thanks to the freedom that the generic clothes gave them, everyone was able to leave their vehicles and walk around the ferry. There were some vending machines for food and drink in the main deck, but Ryuuji warned them that they would be going to a restaurant as soon as they made it to Tokushima.

Taiga found Ami on the outside of the ship. She was leaning against a rail with a drink in her hand and letting the cold wind blow through her long blue hair.

"Haven't you had enough of that from staying on your South Pacific island?" Taiga prodded.

"It was the end of summer down there. I kinda missed the brisk feeling of cold air." Ami answered without looking at Taiga, "After so many days of tropical island breezes that caress you, and are at just the right temperature that you don't even need to wear clothes… it got boring."

"Liar." Taiga said as she leaned against the rail and tried to suppress her jealousy.

"You're right. That was totally a lie. I would like to stay in a place like that for the rest of my life." Ami sighed.

"Australia?" Taiga asked.

"No… well, Australia was nice, but I was talking about the little island where we stayed for a few days." Ami told her.

There was a long silence then, while they both looked out at the horizon where the blue sky met the bluer ocean. It wasn't an awkward silence though. It was almost restful. But, Ami knew that there was something that was driving Taiga to seek her out.

"Something on your mind?" Ami asked.

"I promised Minorin that I would talk things out with you." Taiga replied.

"That muscle-head still worries about you, huh?" Ami laughed.

"Hey… if I'm going to stop calling you Dumb-chi, you should stop calling her a muscle-head." Taiga said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that. We're all growing up, aren't we?" Ami said wistfully. She sighed and asked, "So, what do we need to talk out?"

"Ryuuji, I guess." Taiga replied.

"We're married. We have a son. He loves me and I love him. And… I'm not giving him back." Ami said with finality, but without emotion. Then she asked, "What else is there to discuss?"

The words stung, but it wasn't anything new. Nothing that Ami had said was anything that Taiga hadn't already figured out – and come to grips with. It wasn't something she wanted to accept, but it was something she needed to… if she wanted to move forward. "No… I guess that pretty-much says it all. But, is it okay with you if Ryuuji and I are still friends?"

"Friends?" Ami laughed, "I think you might be a little past that already."

"Huh?" Taiga looked at Ami now and wondered what she was thinking.

"I've heard stories about how well you took care of our little Tatsuya. I can already see him growing up calling you Obasan Taiga. The poor little guy is going to be so confused on the day when we have to explain that you're not really a blood relative."

"Hah, oh yeah… that." Taiga wondered who it was that had told Ami how she had been fawning over the little boy. Then she realized that something Ami had just said really had stung. It had hurt worse than the earlier comments by far. "Do you have to tell him?"

"What?" Ami looked at her short friend and saw a pleading look that was rare for Taiga.

"Do you have to tell him that I'm not really his obasan?" Taiga appealed, "I wouldn't mind being Tatsuya's obasan."

"I guess I don't mind that." Ami shifted her gaze back out to the horizon, "Neither Ryuuji nor I have any siblings, so it's okay with me if you want to be his honorary obasan."

 _Honorary_ _Obasan_ _. I like that title. So, that makes me Ryuuji's… sister?_ Taiga was staring out at the horizon again as she tried to internalize how her new position worked with this arrangement.

"Is that it?" Ami worried that this had all been too easy. There had been a few weird dreams and sleepless nights because of Taiga, and to have it all wrapped up so easily was a little worrisome.

"Oh yeah," Taiga remembered the thing Kawashima Anna wanted her to bring up with Ami, "you need to join the Tea Ceremony club at your school. Maya and I are going to be competing with you."

"Yeah… I think I'm going to have to pass on that." Ami knew where this idea had come from and the corner of her mouth twisted in a smile as she thought of her retort to the next thing Taiga would say.

"Your mom's not going to be happy. She was really looking forward to this." Taiga warned, "You better come up with a good reason for turning this down."

"I have a feeling she'll be able to forgive me." Ami chuckled, "She'll have a hard time refusing my reason."

"Oh?" Taiga looked at her confident friend and wondered if she knew just how much her mother was invested in this Tea Ceremony plan, "What is it?"

"I'm going to give her another grandchild. I'm pregnant again." Ami smiled as she let the words sink in.

Taiga's response was so loud that other people on the outside of the boat could clearly hear her screech, "You're WHAT?"

.

* * *

.

 **Glossary**

 **Gomen'nasai** : "I'm sorry"

 **Little Bludger** : Aussie speak for a person who avoids responsibility, getting other people to do their work.

 **Obasan** : Aunt or middle aged woman. In this case, it means Aunt – Aunt Taiga.

 **Otaku** : Similar to the western use of the word 'nerd' but usually focused on those who have an obsessive interest in anime or manga.


	12. Chapter 12 - Reunion in Tokushima

**Friday afternoon, March 25th – The Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

With a population a bit over 250,000 - Tokushima is the smallest principal city of the four prefectures on Shikoku island. And yet, it still feels too 'crowded' for Obāsama's tastes. She felt justified in this discomfort since it had the highest population density of the four cities. And yet, at only 1,400 people per square kilometer, it was a wide open place compared to the crowded cities like Osaka or Tokyo. She traveled to those places rarely, choosing instead to stop at a small town on the outskirts and have people come to her, or sending someone in her stead.

For several years now, that person had been Shinako. She had Obāsama's complete faith and trust, and in return, she had given the old woman her complete loyalty.

Until now.

Shinako sat to the right of Obāsama and ate quietly while the conversation moved around the table. This was her normal place – the place where she had always been comfortable. But it felt wrong now. She felt as if she didn't deserve to be there. She felt… tainted… dirty… disloyal. Glancing across the table, she gazed at the reason for her unease.

Noto-sama.

He sat at the table with his wife and friends and seemed happier than she had seen him in a while. Sure, his plans to start on the resort development with the Yamada family had fallen through… or at least delayed – as well as his goal to discuss the public works project contracts with the Sendai leadership. But he had returned home after successfully dealing with a catastrophic natural disaster, and negotiating with the political entities in such a way that it left all of them grateful, if not indebted to the Hisamitsu family. On the heels of his celebrated return, his good friends arrived and it seemed that his spirit was lifted even further.

"He has the gift." Obāsama had told Shinako quietly, after their return. "He attracts good people to him. These friends of his aren't just after his name or his money. They are genuine and able to stand worthy on their own."

"I believe you are right, Obāsama." Shinako said guiltily. She had to acknowledge that he was indeed good at inspiring confidence, faith, and loyalty. And, he seemed to be good at thinking on his feet. She had seen him weather exhaustion, still trying to do his best. She knew of Noto's virtue and determination, more than anyone else. She had been there and had seen it with her own eyes. Her own personal verdict was that Noto had done incredibly well for someone of his age and inexperience. He had earned Shinako's loyalty.

And that was the problem.

"Obāsama, I think that perhaps… I should leave the family for a while." Shinako said to her grandmother quietly.

"What is this?" Obāsama looked at her faithful aide with shock.

"I'm afraid, I have become confused… about where my loyalties lie." Shinako admitted.

"I see." Obāsama said in an evaluating voice, "You feel torn between Noto and me?"

"Yes, Obāsama." Shinako said with an apologetic bow. "I am so very sorry."

"Please, child." Obāsama reached over and took her granddaughter's hand, "This is entirely my fault. I suspected that he was the kind of person to inspire trust and loyalty, and I sent you to work closely with him nonetheless."

"Still, I should have..." Shinako tried to own some of the responsibility for her wavering allegiance, but Obāsama wouldn't accept it.

"Tut!" Obāsama lectured, "When I give someone a test or a trial, there are consequences to be paid. Whether that person passes or fails the test, there are always consequences. I knew this in the beginning and I am prepared to pay the cost."

"Then, I have failed the test." Shinako knew that her grandmother was trying to cheer her up, but she now felt more crushed than ever before.

"You failed nothing. I never said the test was yours." Obāsama winked and shifted her gaze over to Noto. "The test was his, and you were the metric. If he hadn't been able to earn your trust and your loyalty, he would have been of no use to me – or to the family."

"Then you… you used me?" Shinako said in disbelief.

"I did. But, why do you sound so surprised? Do I not _use_ you every time I send you somewhere to represent my bidding for the family?" Obāsama closed her eyes and confided, "I felt horrible when we began this relationship. I knew I was using you every time I sent you out. I took advantage of your strong personality, your iron will, and your loyalty to me. But the worst was that I was taking advantage of your youth. At a time in your life when you could have been building relationships with people your own age, starting a career of your own, and building a life for yourself – instead, you were by my side or haring around the country on some errand for me. And the things I had you doing for me… I knew they didn't lend themselves to helping you make any friends."

"Obāsama, I didn't need any friends." Shinako insisted.

"Please let this old woman finish, then you can love me or you can hate me… but you will at least understand me." Obāsama waited until she got a nod from her granddaughter before she continued, "I tested Noto with the very best tool I had. And that was you. But like a great sword that has fought a great battle and then been resharpened, it isn't quite the same as it was. I knew that in testing Noto this way, I would lose you if he passed the test."

"Ah!" Shinako couldn't help but react to that. She suddenly felt expendable.

"I knew that you would feel loyalty to him if he was deserving, since that was exactly the nature of the test. And, once you gave him your loyalty, you would never be entirely mine again." Obāsama said.

"Have I then become so useless to you?" Shinako's voice trembled as if she were standing on the precipice of despair.

"Not at all. I have never found your service to be lacking in any way. But that is why this must be done now. Don't you see?" Obāsama squeezed her granddaughter's hand and told her, "Your role will not be over when this old woman retires from the board. There will be a new general on the field and he will need such powerful pieces as you. I cannot afford for you to think that you are only useful to the old regime and have no place when I am gone."

"You… you're giving me to Noto-sama?" Shinako asked in wonder.

"Yes… and no. You're not a simple playing piece after all." Obāsama explained, "I might have been able to keep you to myself if I had never allowed you to interact with Noto. I would have taken you into retirement with me and we would have spent many a quiet day playing shogi. But, that would have been very selfish of me, wouldn't it."

"Peaceful afternoons playing shogi with you does not sound like a terrible thing." Shinako protested.

"Perhaps for a while. But sooner or later… hopefully later, I would die." Obāsama squeezed Shinako's hand when she saw the younger girl's shock at hearing such an admission, "After all of the people I have upset and the enemies I have made, you might be the only person that comes to my funeral. And after that, you would be all alone… because of my selfishness."

"No." Shinako felt the tears coming to her eyes, but they were from the thought of going to the beloved old woman's funeral and not from the idea of being alone in life. She had already accepted that fate.

"So I do not see your budding loyalty to Noto as a taint. Instead, it is to me an enrichment… or even a salvation. When you serve him, you will be around people closer to your own age. Since he is surrounded by good friends, you will also. Who knows, you might even find someone to fall in love with."

"Obāsama!" Shinako moved out of her seat and threw her arms around her venerable matriarch. It wasn't until then that either of them noticed that it had become quiet in the room.

"Well, I didn't hear all of that conversation," Taiga said as she pushed her chair back and stood up. Then, raising her glass as if to make a toast she continued, "but there is something you said that I have to say is complete bullsh… er… ludicrously fallacious! I, for one, will definitely go to your funeral!"

"Taiga!" Ami put her face in her hand at Taiga's preposterously awkward show of support.

"I'll be there!" Noto said as he stood and raised his glass.

"Me too!" Maya carefully stood up next to her husband. She had one of her twins in her arms, so she didn't hold a drink out, like the others. In truth, she didn't know what she was agreeing to, since she had been focusing on the child in her arms until her husband suddenly stood up.

"You can count me in… unless I beat you there." Ryuuji's grandfather chipped in.

"I'll second that." Kawashima Anna said as she stood next to the elder Takasu and gave him a sly wink.

"Third! Ryuuji's grandmother stood up on her husband's other side.

"Mother!" Ami's embarrassment was burning on her face – even through her South Pacific tan.

"What's bothering you dear? Is it that I am promising to go to someone's funeral, or are you embarrassed because I have my hand on Grandpa Takasu's backside?"

"MOTHER!" Ami squealed, horrified that her mother would say such a thing in front of her friends. And to do that to… her in-laws!

"Ahem… If I may." Hisako stood and also raised a glass as she made her toast, "On that far off day, when it is time to give our respects and speak of fond memories, who will join me in saying farewell to one of the greatest ladies that ever ruled the Hisamitsu family – indeed, one of the greatest ladies that I have ever known."

The rest of the room stood to Hisako's toast and bowed to the surprised matriarch before drinking whatever they had in their glasses. Like Maya – Nanako, Ami, and Yuri didn't drink as they were all taking care of infants, but they were able to manage the bow. When the toast was over, the four of them holding the infants, were the only ones to retake their seats.

"That was… really well said." Ryuuji complemented Hisako.

"Yeah… I stole it from one of Kawashima Anna's movies." Hisako admitted.

All the attention turned to the end of the table where Anna was still standing with the Takasu grandparents… and in roughly the same position. She and Takasu Obāsan bracketed the grandfather very closely. Anna was having a conversation with Ryuuji's grandmother, but the grandfather just stood in the middle with his face beet red, his hands clenched into fists, and his mouth clamped shut.

"His ass is really firm." Anna said to the man's wife.

"Oh yes. It's always been one of his best features." Takasu Obāsan said proudly.

"It's so muscular. I mean, it's really impressive. Does he do some kind of exercise to get it like that?" Anna asked.

"Mother..." Ami's look of shock, disbelief, and pleading was something that Ryuuji had never seen before.

"Oh baby," Anna said as she turned to her daughter, "if Ryuuji's ass is anything like this, you are one lucky girl!"

"MOTHER!" Ami screamed as she hid her blushing face behind both hands this time.

.

Everyone was laughing at the little comedy put on by the Kawashima mother and daughter team. Taiga particularly enjoyed watching Ami getting mercilessly teased by her own mother. But her laughter died away when she noticed one person unable to join in the merriment. Someone who's sadness seemed out of place, not only because it was in such a festive atmosphere, but also because it was coming from someone who had always seemed so cheerful.

Taiga had never intended to like the younger girl that looked like her, but bigger and more… developed. Every time Taiga saw the girl, it seemed like she had grown another few centimeters, which only served to remind Taiga that her height hadn't changed since elementary school… and neither had her bust. But Aiko-chan had been so sweet the first time they had met. She insisted on calling Taiga by the honorary title Nee-chan from the start. The 'chan' part Taiga could do without – since it sounded like a child's suffix, but 'Nee' was another story. Aiko-chan was effectively calling Taiga her elder sister – and anything that made Taiga feel like she was being seen as an adult was a good thing. Of course, she still wouldn't admit that she liked the kid, at least to anyone else. But she couldn't let it go that Aiko-chan seemed sad either. So, since most everyone in the room was still standing up after Hisako's toast, Taiga threaded her way through the room to approach her look-alike.

"Hey, what's got you down?" Taiga asked the girl that looked like a more idealized version of herself.

"Nee-chan." Aiko-chan called out as she wrapped her arms around the shorter girl and bent over so that she could put her forehead on Taiga's shoulder. "I had to say good-bye to Deena-chan again."

"Ah, yeah." Taiga had been surprised by the sudden hug, but she recovered after reminding herself that the taller girl was still quite young. _At her age, I guess a hug and a cry aren't so unusual. And when that happens, an adult should… Waitaminit, I am that adult!_ Taiga patted the girl's head and told her, "I hate good-byes too."

"I didn't want her to go! I never should have said I wanted to go home. I'm so sorry!" Aiko-chan cried out her frustration and guilt. She had heard the others talking on the plane trip back to Japan. They had said that they might have been able stay a little longer but that they were all feeling a little homesick. She knew that she was the one that had said she wanted to go home and that meant… it was her fault that she had to say good-bye to Deena-chan again.

"Hey, c'mon. You do know that school starts back up in a week, right?" Taiga asked the distraught girl.

"Um, yeah." Aiko-chan answered. She actually hadn't thought much about the new school year starting up amidst all the other things that were happening.

"How much longer do you think you could have stayed over there?" Taiga could feel a change in the girl with this line of questions and continued. "You were on that trip with a teacher you know. You weren't planning on skipping school, were you?"

"No!" Aiko-chan lifted her head and looked into Taiga's eyes earnestly, "I wouldn't do that. I just… I just liked having a big sister. Everything was always fun whenever she was around. And… she was so nice to me."

That struck a chord with Taiga. She knew that Aiko-chan had been picked on a lot, by her classmates at a previous school. It reminded Taiga of the hurtful comments she had endured when she was in school. Kids can be so cruel when you're not… normal. Too tall, too short, wrong hair color, not developed enough in high school, or too developed in grade school. Taiga could see why the young girl had attached herself to Deena-chan and all the rest of Ami's friends. Like the rest of them, she was tall and… built. But it was more than that too. Unlike school kids, they didn't pick on her and heartlessly tease her. After she thought about it, Taiga realized that none of them picked on her either… except for Ami. Taiga's face twisted when she thought about the unkind things Ami said… _used_ to say to her. _Of course… to be fair… I was calling her a dumb chihuahua back then. I guess she hasn't really been mean to me since…_ Taiga's mood soured when her thoughts took her back to the fact that Ami and Ryuuji were together. However, the younger but taller girl in front of her didn't have anything to do with that. Aiko-chan was hurting because she felt like she had lost someone and that was another thing Taiga could sympathize with.

"Well… I don't know about being a _big_ sister, but I can be an _elder_ sister." Taiga offered.

"Huh?" Aiko-chan was confused since she didn't understand the difference between big sister and older sister.

"Well, you already call me nee-chan, right?" Taiga then pouted, "Unless you were just calling me that to make fun of me."

"No, I wasn't! I called you that because you look like me but you're all grown up." Aiko-chan explained.

"Say that again." Taiga had felt a rush of happiness and a gentle caress to her ego at young Aiko's earnest reply. And she wanted to hear it again.

"Huh?" Aiko-chan didn't remember saying anything important.

"That thing you just said… just now." Taiga prompted, "I just want to make sure I heard you right."

"Um…" Aiko-chan had to think for a moment, but she remembered and repeated, "You look like me but you're all grown up."

"Like an older sister." Taiga led the little girl into the trap.

"Yes." Aiko-chan sounded confused at her own answer.

"That means I can be like an older sister to you, just like Deena-chan can" Taiga said proudly.

"I… I guess so." Aiko-chan agreed.

"And I can be fun too." Taiga proclaimed.

"You can?" Aiko-chan asked innocently.

 _Thunk!_

"Yes!" Taiga was about to react angrily to the little girl's unintentionally insulting question before realizing that she hadn't meant anything by it. Instead, she took a breath and said, "In fact, I am going to take you on a horseback ride up a mountain where we are going to stay overnight at a cabin with Minorin, Suzume-chan, and Umeki-chan."

"Really?" Aiko-chan's excitement seemed to beam from her as if she was illuminated by a spotlight. The only thing marring it from being a perfect photo opportunity were the still visible tear streaks on her cheeks.

"Yeah, in fact we need to be leaving soon." Taiga said as she checked the time on her cell phone.

"Already? But it feels like we just got here." Aiko-chan complained.

"Them's the breaks, kid." Taiga said as she looked around for the other girls that were supposed to be in her party. Fortunately, she remembered that she wasn't talking to another adult and explained, "Ah, just kidding about that. But we really do need to leave soon so we won't be finishing the ride in the dark."

"Oh." Aiko-chan had been a little shocked at Taiga's brusque response, but she did understand about finishing the ride before dark. That understanding didn't come from an abundance of knowledge or experience with horseback riding, but it felt similar to when she was working as a model at a daytime shoot. Unless the site had already been prepped for night work, with all kinds of lights from above and glowy tape on the floor, the producer would make sure that everything was finished and packed away before the sun went down. Hisako-senpai had explained to her that they had to shut everything down before sunset, because of all kinds of safety reasons.

"Hey, Suzume-chan and Umeki-chan!" Taiga called out to the two as she waved Minori to hurry over.

Aiko-chan remembered the special clothes she had been dressed in when she was on the horseback ride in Hawaii and asked, "Do I need to change clothes?"

"No. Since it's cold out, you'll just put stuff on over your clothes and you'll be fine." Taiga explained as if she were an old hand at this.

"What's going on?" Umeki asked as she and Suzume arrived with Minori.

"We're riding horses to a mountain cabin!" Aiko-chan said excitedly.

Suzume looked curious but Umeki glanced suspiciously over at Taiga. Not possessing Suzume's more trusting and cheerful personality, she had some doubts about the one known as The Palm Top Tiger. She had overheard too many stories that made Taiga sound erratic and unreliable.

"We'll be sleeping over at the cabin since there are too many people here for this house." Minori explained.

"A… cabin in the woods?" Suzume couldn't hide the fright in her words.

Seeing the fear in Suzume's face, Umeki instantly regretted introducing her friend to teen horror movies.

"It's not really in the woods." Taiga explained as she started walking off towards the stables – assuming that everyone would follow her. "There are some tree's near by, but there is a big field in front of it – where it's safe for the horses to run around."

"And, there is an amazing view of the valley below and the mountains on the other side of the valley!" Minori added with her usual enthusiasm.

"A cabin with a mountain view." Umeki assured her tall friend, "See, it's nothing like the movies we watched."

"It's not?" Suzume still seemed a bit nervous but allowed Umeki to pull her along after the others. "I guess… a mountain view sounds nice."

"Totally different, I promise." Umeki said aloud, but was glad that she never showed Suzume any of the creature-horror movies… especially the ones with monstrous Yeti attacking cabins and villages.

.

Ryuuji went with Noto to see the girls off from the stables. Others wanted to join them, but the infants were being put down for their naps and Taiga said that they didn't have time to wait around for them. It sounded callous at first, but Noto explained that it would be best for the girls if they arrived at the cabin while it was still light out.

"Are you sure about this?" Ryuuji said quietly to Noto as the five girls and horses left the fenced field for one of the mountain paths.

"Sure. That cabin could hold a dozen people in a pinch, so five should be no trouble at all." Noto replied.

"Not that. I mean about Taiga leading them up there. Shouldn't someone from the estate go along with them?" Ryuuji asked.

"Ha! According to Obāsama, Taiga's been riding up to that cabin every day since she got here. She's been there so much, Obāsama joked about renaming it _The Tiger's Den!_ " Noto replied with a grin.

"That's surprising." Ryuuji commented with a raised eyebrow. He remembered her stories about growing up as a little rich girl… whenever her dad's businesses were doing well, but he never knew she had any equestrian experience.

"She may be a disaster at a lot of things, but Taiga does know how to ride a horse." Noto smiled as the riders disappeared into the trees that marked the point where the trail started climbing.

"That's even more surprising." Now Ryuuji wondered what other things he didn't know about Taiga.

.

 **Friday afternoon, March 25th – Hisamitsu mountain trails**

* * *

There were several paths up the mountain. Some of them took easy winding routes while others were much more direct… if you had the right kind of horse for it. But the tall, long legged Walker that Taiga was riding was made for prancing and running fast on level ground, an not so much for mountain climbing. Taiga would never use that as the excuse though. Her reason for taking the easier but longer path was for the safety of the more inexperienced riders in her group… that is to say – everyone but her.

The other girls didn't mind though. The easier route meant that they could talk to each other and enjoy the ride, rather than turning the whole thing into the strenuous ordeal that a steeper route would have required. In some places, the path narrowed so that they were all riding single file, and in other places it opened up so that they could ride in pairs. During those times, Taiga fell back so that Aiko-chan was beside her. The horse that Aiko-chan rode had a shorter stature than the tall black Walker and for once, Taiga was taller than her look-alike.

Suzume and Umeki would be right behind them with Minori in the back to make sure no-one fell off their horse. She didn't have a lot of experience on horses either, but she had been riding with Taiga every chance they got, since that day when they had been introduced to the horses. And, she was now a lot better than she had been on that day. She no longer needed help getting on or off the horses, or in getting her straps and reins right.

An hour later and they were getting near the place where Taiga had previously taken the horses for a drink and saw the fox… or day-dreamed that she saw a fox. Strangely, she couldn't find that place on the way up. It bothered her that she missed it, but her attention was split between looking for the hidden turn-out, guiding the group of riders up the trails, and watching out for the less experienced riders in the group.

Taiga had wanted to take everyone to that quiet little brook as a rest stop and a chance to let the horses drink. She was considering turning back to search for it but checking the time, she saw that their progress had been good, but they still had a ways to go. As if to emphasize how late in the day it had become, the sun seemed to be quickly dropping in the sky. Their shadows weren't stretching off to the horizon yet, but it wouldn't be long before they did.

"I can't believe the smallest person is on the biggest horse." Umeki commented as she pulled up alongside Suzume.

"I can't believe she knows how to ride a horse that well." Suzume responded. She had been having problems staying on her horse ever since they started out and didn't remember having so much difficulty on the horse she rode in Hawaii.

Both of the girls were surprised by the quiet laughter they heard from behind them. Turning, they saw Minori laughing into her sleeve.

"Ah, you see…" Minori explained when she realized that her merriment had been noticed, "this is nothing. I mean, for Taiga. Just wait until we get to the glade and she'll show you..."

"What?" Suzume asked when Minori's voice trailed off.

"She'll show us what?" Umeki demanded.

"You'll see." Minori taunted them with a little challenge, "If we get there before it gets too dark, she might show you something before we put the horses away."

.

There was a final curve and the trail opened up into a high country glade that was still covered in several centimeters of snow. An old wooden fence at the edge of the glade marked the point where the land fell away into a fairly steep drop to the valley below. Aiko-chan had been getting excited ever since she saw the first signs of snow midway up the trail, in the branches of trees and the shadows of rocks. As they climbed higher, there was more and more of the soft white blanket until every step made a soft crunching sound.

Even at the higher altitudes of the mountain, the snow was never terribly deep. The mountains of Shikoku were nothing like the giants of the Japanese Alps on Honshu. None of them were tall enough to have year-round snow on their tops. But that also made them more accessible for the young, the old, and the recreational hiker. At the moment, the sun was low in the sky and the air was a deep blue above them. Along with the horses, the girls made long, dark shadows across the snow covered field as they stopped in front of the wooden fence for a view.

"Nee-chan, nee-chan! Look, look!" Aiko-chan squealed excitedly while gazing down the slope into the valley below. "The houses and cars look so small, it's like we're up in an airplane!"

"See how they all have their lights on?" Taiga pointed out to Aiko-chan, "It's already night time down there because the mountain on the other side is blocking the sun for them."

"Woooooow!" Aiko-chan shaded her eyes with her hand so she could see into the dark valley a little better.

"Taiga," Minori called out from behind. She didn't like to be so close to the little fence and the steep slope while still on horseback. "is your horse okay?"

"Yeah." Taiga looked back at Minori and was curious about the unusual question.

"I was wondering… if he's not too tired, could you show the girls one of those… dressy things?" Minori asked.

"What's a dressy thing?" Aiko-chan asked. She couldn't imaging putting Taiga's big black horse into a dress.

"She means dressage." Taiga explained and guided Midnight Star over toward the middle of the field. She started pulling the straps into the right places for what she was about to do as she explained, "Dressage is a special kind of training for the horse and the rider. There are a lot of parts to it, but it's too late to show all of them to you."

The other girls followed on their horses until they were circled around Taiga in the middle of the field. They all watched as Taiga's horse came to a stop. Their horses stopped too and they were all watching as Taiga sat up very straight and did a little flick with her wrist.

"This is called a Piaffe." Taiga remembered the term from long ago when she had trained relentlessly for performances and competitions that she would never end up attending.

Minori had seen it before so she wasn't as amazed as the younger girls. And yet, it was impressive each time she saw it. Midnight Star was walking in place with all four legs in exaggerated motion as if he was trotting across the ground. Aiko-chan was about to exclaim how amazing it was when Taiga spoke again.

"And this is called, the Pirouette." Taiga gave her beloved Midnight Star a little signal and suddenly, horse and rider started to slowly rotate around while the horse was still walking in place.

The three younger girls were stunned as they watched the performance of the short girl and the big horse. They might have watched a program with something like it on TV, but seeing it in person .– and being performed by someone they knew, had surprised them beyond words. Minori wasn't watching her friend at the moment. She caught the astonishment on the faces of their younger companions and was happy for, and proud of her tiny friend.

.

 **Saturday noon, March 26th – The Hisamitsu Estate**

* * *

Obāsama wore a smile that revealed a happiness that she had not felt for a long time. In the last several weeks, her estate had hosted several guests and she had thought the place 'full' in a way that it hadn't felt since she was a young wife. Sure, there had been many times when family had come to visit, or she had hosted some guests for business or political reasons. But family or not, with the exception of her trusted granddaughter Shinako, they were only ever there because they wanted something from her. So, it was a very welcome change to have filled her house with her grandson's guests. She had become good friends with the grandparents of one of Noto and Maya's friends. They were great-grandparents of that couple's infant son… which was something she had in common with them, since she was the great-grandmother of a pair of twin girls. She had also become good friends with a famous actress who was also close to her age, even if she was only a 'grandmother' so far. The other people in her house brought energy and joy to the old woman. From the tiny but very spirited girl and her athletic friend, to the babies that were in the same age group as her great-granddaughters – the old estate had never seemed more full of life before.

And now, with the arrival of nine more of Noto and Maya's friends, the familiar old estate didn't even seem like the same place any more. No more were there closed off rooms, lonely hallways, and a dark pall that seemed to fill all the living spaces. Windows had been opened, rooms had been cleaned for the guests, lights had been turned on, and the empty spaces had been filled with energy, good cheer, and… laughter. More than anything else, it was the sound of laughter that thrilled the old woman and made her feel warm in a way that she hadn't felt in a long time.

Mother's were feeding their babies, Ryuuji and his grandmother were in the kitchen preparing a truly enormous lunch, and the rest were gathered around the big dining table with coffee or tea and having pleasant conversations. It was something Obāsama feared she would never see again after she had taken the reins of the family. She was so wrapped up in simply enjoying the atmosphere that she almost didn't notice her cell phone ringing.

One of the outdoor workers had spotted the girls on the horses and was letting her know that they would be arriving at the stables shortly. She would like to have invited the young teacher to accompany her in welcoming all the girls back, but she was busy nursing her child at the moment and didn't look like she would be done any time soon. Shinako was available… well, she was in conversation with the group around the big table. So, Obāsama decided not to interfere with her granddaughter when she was finally able to make acquaintances with people her own age. Quietly leaving the busy room, she went to the stables to properly greet her returning guests.

.

Taiga was puzzled again. On the way down the mountain, she had searched for the trail or entrance to the pine tree canopied brook where she had once seen the red fox, but once again – to no avail. She didn't know why this was bothering her so much. There was water available at the stables where the trail started and at the cabin at the end of the trail, and it wasn't as if the mountain was so tall that they needed rest stations. But, not being able to find a place she had been to before just bothered her.

"Taiga-chan, you seem troubled." Obāsama said. She had been around the young woman enough to know the difference between the look she was wearing and just daydreaming.

"Uh… yeah." Hearing the old woman's voice startled Taiga and she realized that she had already crossed the field and was at the entrance to the barn. Midnight Star had come to a stop on his own and several of the men that worked the stables and gardens on the property were there to help with the horses. Accepting a hand, she quickly climbed down from her saddle – but she took the time to scratch Midnight Star's jowls and offer him an apple, before she joined Obāsama where she waited on the wooden walkway.

"You do love that horse." Obāsama commented.

"Yeah… I'm glad we got to come back so I could ride him a little longer." Taiga admitted.

"But there is something that is bothering you, isn't there?" Obāsama asked as she brushed her hand through Taiga's wind-blown hair.

"It's nothing serious." Taiga replied without much reaction to the head-pat. Had it been anyone else, she might have kicked them into a wall, but Obāsama just seemed to own that privilege naturally. "The other day, when I walked all the horses to give them a rest, I found this little brook just off the trail. It was really peaceful there and… I wanted to show it to Minori and the others."

"So, why don't you?" Obāsama asked. She was thrilled that the youngster found the old family property so interesting. It seemed that the youth of her own family dreaded the old estate. She had overheard their complaints more than once, that it was _a boring place_ with _nothing to do_ and _nothing but old people_ there. She had heard it so many times that she had started to believe it, so the reactions from these young guests had understandably been both surprising and refreshing.

"I looked for it yesterday on the way up and today on the way down, but I couldn't find it. Do you know where it is?" Taiga asked hopefully.

"I wish I did." Obāsama smiled sadly, "It has been many years since I took the paths up into that mountain. I was never very good on a horse either, so I wasn't relaxed enough to look around during the climb or the descent."

"Oh… I see." Taiga was crushed by more than just hearing that Obāsama didn't know of the place she was seeking. It was an unexpected blow to find out that the kind old lady had never been good at horseback riding. From the way Obāsama was thrilled when she watched Taiga putting her big black stallion through his paces, Taiga had been thinking that equestrian sport was something that they might have in common. "So, you never really liked to ride horses?"

"What?" Obāsama was confused at this turn in the conversation, but she could see that it was another thing that was meaningful to Taiga and replied honestly, "You know how there are tall people who just don't seem to have the dexterity to play basketball? Some of them want to very badly too. They try and they try, but they just don't have what it takes. And all their friends pity them and think it's such a waste for a tall person that can't play a game that seemed to be designed for tall people."

"Yeah, I guess so." Taiga replied but it was now her turn to wonder where the conversation was going.

"I was like that with horses. I didn't care what style of riding it was – I just desperately wanted to ride them. I tried everything. Taiga-chan, you must believe me that I tried so hard. But…" Obāsama hadn't realized how much this old memory would affect her until she felt Taiga take her arm compassionately. "Thank you Taiga-chan. You don't know how happy it has made me to watch you prancing about on that stallion. I watch and dream that I might have been able to do that… if I had your talent."

"Ha!" Taiga said with a wry smile, "I don't know if it was talent or just being too stubborn to give up every time I fell off… or got knocked off the horse."

"Knocked off? Were you jousting?" Obāsama knew that dressage didn't include that in their menu of contests, but there were other styles that still practiced the old medieval games.

"No, not jousting. But horses can be mean… even spiteful." Taiga remembered a couple of particularly bad episodes, "They can ride under low branches that you can't dodge, or too close to a fence post to crush your leg, and they know about a dozen ways to make you fall."

"Good heavens! Were they angry with you?" Obāsama asked.

"Some might have been. But others… just like people, some horses just have a bad attitude." Taiga's mood suddenly became less angry as she stopped remembering many of the horses of her past and thought of the black beauty with the white star on it's forehead, "That's why I like Midnight Star so much. He's gentle, and has a good personality, and he's so much fun!"

"I think he likes you too." Obāsama said with a twinkle in her eye, "Even if I don't know how to ride all that well, I can see the difference in him since you arrived."

"Really?" Taiga's excitement only built at hearing this.

"Indeed. When he first came here, he was like the others. Head and tail drooped. It was as if he had given up… like he knew that he would only ever be a trail horse again. There was no energy… no luster. Like all the others, he looked old, worn out… used up." Obāsama gave Taiga a quick smile and continued in a more cheerful voice, "He's not like that any more though. When I look at him, I see a horse that has remembered his pride – maybe even his past glories. He's more energetic and spirited than I have ever seen him."

Taiga blushed at such praise from a woman that she thought of as an aristocrat. Feeling the need to express her feelings appropriately, she let go of the old woman's arm and moved around to give a proper and deep bow, Hisamitsu-sama, thank you very much for inviting me here, for your hospitality, and for letting me ride Midnight Star so much."

"It is I that should be thanking you," Obāsama made a graceful bow to an astonished Taiga.

"What? Why?" Taiga desperately wanted to plead for the noble lady to stop bowing to her.

"Because my dear," Obāsama said with a smile of gratitude, "Midnight Star isn't the only old horse that you have invigorated around here."

.

 **Monday evening, March 28th – RAAF Amberley - Ipswich, Australia**

* * *

It had been a long day in the hangar for Deena. The work hadn't actually stacked up for her, but there were still things only she could do, until she properly trained the other members of her group on the new systems. In the end, she had to work two work days in one. At least the guys that had been assigned to her were willing to learn That made the training aspect a lot easier. Still, it had been a very long day and she was ready to relax with her posters and magazines.

A long hot shower had made her feel better. So much better in fact, that she was thinking about skipping the magazines and just going to sleep while gazing at the poster that she had made of Ami, Hisako, Suzume, and Aiko-chan performing on stage. It was one of her favorite things to stare at, while she nodded off to sleep, even if it often brought tears of wistful sadness to her eyes. Memories would flood through her mind and it seemed that the farewell scene at the airport would always play out just as she crossed over from memories into dreams.

But poster staring and dreaming would have to wait, it seemed. When she got back to her room, there was a note for her to come to the administration office and pick up a package. Deena read the message again after she took down the notice and groaned, "Urrrgh… Why the admin office and not the mail room? I just got out of my uniform..."

.

Ten minutes later, and back in the uniform she had been wearing all day, Deena entered the administration office for her squadron. At this time of day, she expected to see only a corporal or the duty sergeant at the most. So, she was understandably surprised to see both the Wing Commander and the Air Commodore there. Her shock was only momentary though, and she was immediately standing at attention and saluting the Air Commodore.

"Ah, good to see you again Walker." the Air Commodore said casually as he returned her salute and handed her a package. "It hasn't been opened but I had to sign for it since it's from a foreign country and with your security clearance…"

"I understand sir." Deena tried to keep her military bearing, but she saw that it came from Tokushima and got excited.

"So, you know a person named Taiga Aisaka then?" her Wing Commander asked, "I don't recall her name among the visitors that you entertained for DFAT?"

"Taiga sent me something? I mean… yes sir. She is an acquaintance… although, I should say that I know _of_ her, more than I know her. But she is a friend of the people that were just visiting here." Deena tried to explain.

"I think that's enough questions." the older Air Commodore said warmly, "It's already established that the foreigners our young Sergeant Walker knows are the good sort."

"I… suppose so, sir." the Wing Commander agreed. Then he turned to Deena and reminded her, "Technically, when you have a high security clearance, you're supposed to open packages from foreign parties in front of your commanding officer. But it sounds like the Commodore trusts you to let you open it in private."

"No no! I can open it here!" Deena, in her eagerness to not seem suspicious in front of the Wing Commander, ripped open the package and gasped as dozens of glossy photographs spilled out onto the counter and floor. "Oh no!"

"Relax Walker," the Air Commodore said as he stooped to help pick up several of the photos that had fallen to the floor.

"Yes sir." Deena replied, but found it very difficult to relax around officers at all. And these weren't just any officers either. They were both senior officers. She was always deathly afraid that she would blurt out something stupid and bring some kind of disgrace to her unit, when she was around officers like them.

"Here you go, Walker." the Air Commodore handed over a little stack of the pictures he had gathered. The top one was a picture of Yasuko sitting on a cushion on the floor, with Aiko-chan asleep next to her. Aiko-chan's head was in Yasuko's lap and the picture caught the honorary Onee-chan with her hand poised to brush some of Aiko-chan's orange-brown hair out of her face. "I do wish..."

"Sir?" Deena asked as she reached to take the pictures.

"Nothing, Walker. Enjoy your evening." the elder officer then turned to the younger one and said, "Let's go see what they have for us at the officer's club, shall we?"

Deena finally relaxed after the officers had gone. She was then able to gather up all the photo's from the counter, the floor, and the ones still left in the box. It was then that she discovered the short note that Taiga had put in the box for her.

* * *

 _[Walker Deena] (scratched out)_

 _[Deena Walker]_ _(scratched out)_

 _Deena-chan,_

 _I'm doing this for Aiko-chan. She misses you a lot and [it's annoying]_ _(scratched out)_ _, she's a good kid. I didn't tell her that I was doing this, cause it would break her heart if she knew about sending you all these pictures and you didn't send anything back to her. So yeah, you should send her some pictures too, [if you're not a stupid mongrel]_ _(scratched out)_ _cause it would be nice._

 _Also, she's really looking forward to the reunion that Ryuuji is planning for this summer, so you better make it._

 _Taiga._

* * *

Deena read the note twice. It was written on the back of the receipt for the photo processing as if it was the first draft of what Taiga had been planning to send. _How clumsy can you be?_ Deena laughed to herself as she emptied the rest of the box's contents into her hand.

There were lots of pictures in the box. There were some pictures with everyone that had come on the trip as well as a few of those that had stayed behind. She recognized Maya and Noto with an old woman that must be Noto's grandmother. But the overwhelming majority of all the pictures were of Aiko-chan. There were shots of her riding a horse, making a snow angel, sitting next to a fireplace, having a snowball fight with Suzume and Umeki, setting the table with a bunch of dishes that didn't match… In every picture, she seemed to be having a good time.

But there was something that bothered her in the pictures. Everyone seemed to be having a good time… except Yasuko. She went through the shots again and noticed that it wasn't every shot that everyone's Onee-chan looked a little upset… only the ones where she was looking at the camera. _It doesn't make any sense that she doesn't like having her picture taken. When she was here, she modeled with the rest of us and even went out on stage with the girls. I wonder why…_

"Yer gonna hafta get over that problem ya got." the duty sergeant said while he was leaning over the counter and looking at the pictures in Deena's hands.

"What problem?" Deena asked defensively. She wondered if he was one of the people that knew about all of her posters and didn't like her… hobby.

"Yer a big wuss around officer types, ain't-cha?" his eyebrow went up as he asked.

"Just the senior ones. I'm okay around… lieutenants." Deena pouted a bit.

"That's no good for someone dats gonna be a galah officer herself." the sergeant drolled.

"What?" Deena wondered if this guy's face was off. It was the right time for it, but it wasn't good to be rotten drunk when you were supposed to be the Duty Sergeant.

"They've got their eyes on you, Walker. You can hobnob with foreign types and you're not afraid to give some figjam from DFAT the what-for." the sergeant said with a crooked smile.

"What? How did you know about that?" Deena demanded.

"Don't be daft, Walker!" the sergeant laughed at her incredulous question, "Everybody knows about that!"

"Ohhh no." Deena didn't know how the news had gotten around, but it was obvious that it had.

"Too right, Walker! It's London to a brick that your next assignment will be to Canberra!"

.

 **Wednesday afternoon, March 30th – Okayama Train Station**

* * *

The previous four days had been more fun for some than for others. Taiga and Minori had kept Suzume, Umeki, and Aiko-chan entertained with horseback riding and exploring the mountain. The Hisamitsu home had become something of a family reunion site as four generations of Takasu, and three generations of both Kawashima and Hisamitsu were all gathered in one place. But eventually, the younger ones ran out of spring break and it was time to return to their student lives.

Noto, Maya, the twins, Nanako, and Hisako would be staying a little longer since they would only be traveling to Tokushima City from the Estate. But the rest would need to catch the Shinkansen for their trip home. A last breakfast was shared before the Hisamitsu vans took them all to the local train station.

Obāsama had offered for her vans to take them all the way to the Shinkansen station in Okayama, but it wouldn't have saved them all that much time over taking the local trains from Tokushima to get there. The guests declined her offer since the Hisamitsu's had already done so much for them. But there was another reason for wanting to take the local trains. With everyone that would be taking the Shinkansen to get home, the vans would be terribly stuffed with all the people and their luggage on the long drive all the way to Okayama.

The train ride ended up being a lot more comfortable, but not quite as exciting as some of them had hoped. This wasn't a Shinkansen, so they thought they would get to see a few more amazing views of Shikoku as the smaller local train passed through the mountains between Tokushima and Kagawa. Unfortunately, the train did just that. Just as the train finished climbing out of the valley and the mountains looked like they were getting closer, the train went into a very long tunnel which did indeed pass… through the mountains. It would occasionally pass out of the tunnel for a moment and back into another one, but the brief flashes of sunlight weren't enough to get a good look at the scenery. Most of them found the ride across the long bridge to be more interesting. Suspended underneath a highway, the bridge passed over several tiny islands that connected Shikoku back to Honshu across the Inland Sea.

After the three hour ride, the group was at the Shinkansen station in Okayama and ready for the final leg that would take them home. The grandparents, Kawashima Anna, and the Takasu's would only be going as far as Kyoto. Mostly because of that, the Takasu's and Kawashima Anna all sat together. Others sat nearby but left the family's alone to have their last moments before their parents and grandparents departed.

Minori found herself sitting next to a rather dejected looking Taiga. She waited for Taiga to bring up whatever was bothering her, but her short friend was being uncharacteristically quiet. Despite her 'jock' image, Minori was pretty bright and already had a good idea what was troubling Taiga. "It's the horse, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Taiga sighed.

"I heard Obāsama invited you back… I mean, she invited all of us back. But it looked to me like she took a special interest in you." Minori commented.

"Yeah… she said she wanted to adopt me… can you believe that? Why me? All I did was ride her stupid horse." Taiga froze up as the words were coming out of her mouth. _Stupid horse._ Taiga slowly turned to Minori and her face went from petulance to sorrow, "Minorin… I'm really gonna miss that stupid horse."

"I know." Minori said gently as she opened her arm for Taiga to lean in against her chest. "But there's golden week and the summer break, right? Obāsama said you could come back any time you wanted. I bet she would let you stay the whole summer if you wanted to."

"You think so?" Taiga knew she would be busy with a Kendo competition during Golden Week, but the summer…

"Absolutely!" Minori practically shouted in her old jock-cheer voice. "Taiga, you can do anything if you set your mind to it. All you have to do is Fight-On! Fight-On! Fight-On! Fight!"

"Minorin… I'm not on the baseball team. The Kendo team doesn't allow cheerleaders." Taiga said wearily.

"Heh, I know. You just seemed like you needed some cheering up." Minori apologetically explained.

"Yeah... I didn't mean to make you feel bad. Just… let me lean on you a little longer and I'll be okay." Taiga pleaded.

"You can even go to sleep if you want to." Minori offered, "I'm just glad it was the horse that was bothering you and not..." Minori's eyes opened wide and she hoped Taiga hadn't heard those last few words.

"Not what?" Taiga asked while still leaning on her friend.

"Uh… nothing." Minori said nervously.

"Minorin, you know I'm not still messed up about Ryuuji, right?" Taiga sat up and looked into her friend's eyes, "So what is this other thing you're worried about?"

"It's nothing, really!" Minori tried to sound convincing but she knew she was a terrible liar.

"Spill it." Taiga demanded.

"Please… don't ask me to tell you, Taiga." Minori pleaded.

"I wish I could forget it." Taiga said firmly, "But, you know I'm trying to fix all the things I broke… and I'm tryin to fix me too. And I can't do that if I don't know what's broke. So you tell me, Minorin… is this something I should fix?"

"Yeah. When you put it like that. I guess it is something you broke." Minori admitted, "Well… you see… I was just talking to… someone. And it came up that Onee-chan hasn't… forgiven you for… what you did."

"Onee-chan?" Taiga was puzzled. Suzume's older sister, who Minori idolized, was the first person that came to mind. "What did I ever do to Umeko-san?"

"Not her." Minori fidgeted. She knew that the soured relationship had meant a lot to Taiga at one time, and she worried that Taiga could be hurt by hearing this. But, as Taiga said, she really was trying to fix the things she had broken. "The one that everyone else calls Onee-chan. Everyone but you and Ryuuji. He calls her by her first name, but you call her..."

"Ya-chan?" Taiga's eyes were opened wide. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Yasuko was the one that had said she was part of the family, and that had meant… everything! "Ya-chan doesn't like me?"

"Before you ask who told me this, or why she doesn't like you – put yourself in her position for a moment." Minori said quietly.

"Huh?" Taiga was still shocked from finding this out now.

"She ran away from school, from home, from her friends… all for him." Minori tried to get Taiga to understand, "He is her child, her baby. She was always there to sooth his pains, kiss away his tears, and make everything okay until..."

"Until the depression." Taiga finished the sentence. She had heard the story too many times and from too many people. There was no way it had been made up. She could see how pained or sick it made the teller, just to recount the memories of those days.

"Yeah." Minori didn't say any more. She didn't need to. The change in Taiga's appearance was startling. No longer defiant or cunning, she looked worse than when she had to say goodbye to Midnight Star.

"Okay… I won't ask who you heard it from, but just tell me… you didn't hear it from Ya-chan herself, did you?" Taiga asked with a little bit of hope.

"Um… no." Minori answered.

"Then it may not be as bad as it sounds." Taiga said as she got up from her seat.

"What are you going to do?" Minori asked in a whisper.

"I'm just going to talk to Ryuuji and see what he knows about this." Taiga said calmly, "Relax, I'm not going to do anything rash."

Taiga confidently stepped into the aisle, but that confidence faded a little with every step that took her closer to the set of seats that faced each other where the Takasu family was seated with Ami's mother. As she got closer, she could see that Ryuuji was seated between his wife and his mother… Ya-chan, who was in the aisle seat. They were all chatting quietly and somewhat distracted by their own conversation, so they didn't notice Taiga until she was standing right next to them.

"Taiga-chan, my goodness! You startled me." Anna exclaimed.

"Sorry to interrupt," Taiga said with her best manners, "Do you mind if I borrow Ryuuji for a few minutes? I just need to clear something up with him."

"Not at all." Ami smiled and returned the politeness. She wondered if she was overcompensating with politeness to Taiga ever since she had that dream with the missiles and explosives.

"If you'll excuse me," Ryuuji said as he got up and moved to the aisle – but then he had to stop. He turned to see if his clothes had caught on something, but it was the other way around.

Yasuko had grasped the back of his shirt and was holding onto it as if she were trying to keep him from falling over a cliff. The others saw it clearly and at first thought it some kind of joke. But once they saw her face, they knew something was terribly wrong.

"Yasuko sweetie," her mother asked softly, "what's wrong?"

But there was no reply. Yasuko's fist was white from the grip on his shirt and her other hand clutched at the arm of the chair as if to keep herself from falling over the same treacherous cliff after her son. Her eyes were looking up at Ryuuji's face and her lips were trembling along with her jaw.

It wasn't anger that had locked up the bubbly and cheerful Onee-chan. It was far worse than that.

It was fear.

.

* * *

 **Glossary**

 **Canberra** : located in the south-east of the country, it is the capitol city of Australia and home of the Royal Military College.

 **Shogi** : the Japanese version of Chess.

 **Wuss, Galah, "Face was off", Rotten, FIGJAM, "** **Too right", "London to a brick"** : Aussie slang.


	13. Chapter 13 - Hard Feelings

**Wednesday afternoon, March 30th – Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen**

* * *

Yasuko had grasped the back of Ryuuji's shirt as he was trying to step away from his seat. She held onto him firmly as if she were trying to keep him from falling off a cliff, or into a pool of hungry sharks. There was no sign of hatred on her face, but it was very clear to everyone that she was absolutely terrified.

From the window seat where she was sitting, Ami couldn't see her mother-in-law's face, but she could see Yasuko's whole body trembling.

"Yasuko sweetie," the Takasu Obāsan asked softly, "what's wrong?"

When she didn't reply to her mother, Ami moved into the seat Ryuuji had just vacated and grasped Yasuko's wrist next to the arm rest. Yasuko's usually youthful and vibrant skin felt cool and clammy. Ami's fingers felt a rapid pulse. She reached up and forcefully turned Yasuko's face to look at her and saw a tanned face that actually seemed pale, and the pupils of her eyes were huge…

"What's wrong?" Ryuuji asked but didn't try to pull away from his mother's grasp.

Ami stood up slowly and pulled Ryuuji back toward his seat as she stepped into the aisle, eclipsing Taiga from Yasuko's view. "Ryuuji, stay here with your mom. I'll go have that chat." She turned to see if Taiga was going to offer up any argument but she too looked shocked at what had just happened.

.

"It's true then." Taiga was back in her seat. Her legs were drawn up in the seat with her – arms wrapped around them and her head down on her knees. Her golden hair cascaded down over her arms and legs and hid the saddened and wet eyes.

Ami was seated next to Taiga now, with Minori standing in the aisle next to her.

"What's true?" Ami asked.

"I told her about Yasuko-san." Minori confessed.

"Why?" Ami demanded of the pink haired girl.

"Wait a minute!" Taiga's head popped up from her knees and she looked at Ami, "You knew about this too?"

"Duh. I live with her. How could I _not_ know." Ami rebuked.

"Then why? For someone as kind as Ya-chan, why..." Taiga trembled with another round of tears as she implored Ami.

"Didn't you tell her what had happened to Ryuuji when she left?" Ami asked Minori instead of immediately answering Taiga's question.

"I did. I even showed her the pictures." Minori said softly. The memories of the day of Taiga's inglorious return hadn't faded over time and she could still recall showing Taiga the photo albums, the magazines, and then… they watched the televised special of the wedding ceremony in Kyoto.

"What does that have to do with Ya-chan?" Taiga demanded. Her sadness was giving way to anger at her questions being ignored.

"Baka! I can see you're still as hardheaded and dense as you used to be." Ami said curtly, but softly so that her conversation wouldn't carry to the passengers in the seats around them.

"Bitch!" Taiga moved to slap at Ami's face, but Minori caught her wrist from behind.

"You saw the pictures didn't you?" Ami pressed, "You saw what he looked like, right?"

"Yeah, I get it! I've already apologized for that!" Taiga's voice was not as controlled or quiet since she was also struggling with Minori to free her arm from the athletic girl's strong grasp.

"Those pictures were nothing… compared to being there. The whole room was depressed from watching him get worse and worse. Every day Ryuuji came to school looking paler and weaker, until it looked like there was no life in his eyes at all." Ami's description was getting to her as well. Forced to recall what it had been like, she could feel that terrible heaviness and despair that emanated from him like an unhealthy aura.

"All right, I've heard this all before. I'm sorry it was so terrible for you!" Taiga finally wrenched her wrist away from Minori but made no move to try and slap Ami again.

"Sure, it was bad for us. But there was one person it was worse for. Much, much worse." Ami returned Taiga's glare as she continued, "When school was out, he would go home… but he wouldn't do anything. He barely cooked any more – and what he prepared was only for his mother. He wouldn't eat on his own. Yasuko had to do everything… as if he were an invalid. She had to wash him. She had to dress him. She begged him to eat. But all he would do was sit on the floor and look up at the hole in the wall."

"Hole in the wall?" Taiga asked.

"The one you put there on the night when you broke into his house to find the letter for Kitamura." Ami replied.

"Ah! How did you know about that?" Taiga demanded. Ryuuji had sworn he would keep her embarrassing secret, so it was a shock to hear this from dumb-chi.

"I heard it from Yasuko. She said she had been upset with Ryuuji – thinking he had damaged their little home from some carelessness. After he told her the story, she just thought it was funny." Ami said softly. For a moment, she daydreamed back to those anxious days of trying to bring Ryuuji back to life. She and Yasuko had spent a lot of time with each other back then.

"So, she knew… even back then?" Taiga asked.

"Yeah. She forgave you for that. She was too delighted that Ryuuji had finally been able to make another friend. Next to that accomplishment, there was no way Yasuko would hold a grudge about a little hole in the wall." Ami revealed.

"Friends…" Taiga too was remembering back to an earlier time. But they weren't friends then. Ryuuji was her dog. He was her slave to do her bidding. She knew his weakness – what he really wanted, and she used that. She had blackmailed him to help fulfill her heart's desire, or he would never have any chance to get what he wanted. Over time, they had become friends… and then something more. But… "I don't think we were 'friends' back then."

"Ryuuji didn't either." Ami laughed, "He thought you were a clumsy, miniature tyrant."

"What!" Taiga felt her old anger reflexes kicking in.

"But, Yasuko didn't see it that way. She had watched him grow up friendless for most of his life. Other kids were scared of him. Until high school, every time Ryuuji tried to make friends, they would just walk away. But not you." Ami recalled that conversation now. She and Yasuko had been relaxing in the bath. And these were the things Yasuko had told her when Ami had asked how and when Ryuuji had met Taiga.

"I wasn't the first. Kitamura was his friend before I was." Taiga pouted.

"True, but you were the first to spend a lot of time with him. Kitamura always had lots of school activities that kept him busy, but not you. She told me about how you would join them for meals at their little house, how you would go to and from school together, and that you two even worked a few part-time jobs together." Ami could see how mortified Taiga was to hear all of this, but she couldn't help but make a little tease, "I mean… I knew about the time you two were selling chocolates..."

"We weren't together all the time!" Taiga was mortified that this story was making her sound like she was always clingy and helpless. But there had been a lot of times she had tried to distance herself from Ryuuji because the other kids at school were getting the wrong idea.

"Around Yasuko you were. And she loved you for that." Ami sighed. She knew that she was getting to the happiest part of the story and soon it would be getting dark… but Taiga needed to know about this too. "All the years while he was growing up, she fought to keep him from becoming too sad about being friendless. He was never invited to join clubs or come to birthday parties, and his mother was the only one that would come to his. No other child ever came over to play, or to study, or anything… until you."

"But… Kitamura?" Taiga asked.

"They were friends in class and at the school… but he never visited Ryuuji's home. At least… not that Yasuko knew about." Ami told her.

"Oh… I didn't know that." Taiga wondered how much more Ami knew about Ryuuji that she had never learned.

"He really changed then. And you did too." Minori added.

"Ah!" Minori's voice startled Taiga until she remembered that her friend had been standing next to her the whole time, "I did?"

"Of course you did! You were always sniffling and grouchy to everyone except me. But your health got better after Ryuuji showed you how to clean up after yourself..."

"Hey!" Taiga was stunned that Minorin would reveal that embarrassing fact about her past.

"And you started being nicer after he started making your lunch for you every day." Minori added.

"Miiiinoooriiiiiin!" Taiga pleaded for her friend to stop revealing such embarrassing things.

"Oh! Sorry Taiga." Minori quietly apologized when she realized how much she had been embarrassing her tiny friend.

"Jeez, you make me sound like some kind of jerk." Taiga complained.

"You were a jerk. All you did was abuse him… in the beginning anyway." Ami replied.

"I… I was not!" Taiga started to defend herself, but Ami was ready for this.

" _Ryuuji was my dog in a previous life. A dog is happiest when serving it's master._ " Ami recited the words, then turned to Taiga and said, "That was the excuse you gave me after eating all the meat out of his bento and leaving him with only the rice."

"I never… I mean… I didn't…" Taiga looked up at Minori for support but it seemed that her friend remembered the incident too. "But, I didn't mean..."

"Hey, it's okay. I honestly don't think Ryuuji minded." Ami offered as proof, "To someone that is starved for attention, even abuse is welcome. So, even if all you ever gave him was insults, it was better than the silence and distance that he got from everyone else."

Minori had to look away for a moment. Ami's words had stung her too. She had kept her distance from Ryuuji like the others, although for a different reason. She wasn't afraid of him, but she had made the conscious decision to stay away from him as much as possible… so that he might develop a friendship, or even a relationship with Taiga. And now, hearing about Ryuuji's past from Ami, she realized just how much pain she had caused him – even if it was indirectly. She had become one of those people that kept him… at a distance.

"Even with all your abuse, Ryuuji really started to thrive then. That's what Yasuko told me. She said he looked happier than he had in his whole life. For the first time, he was excited to go to school – to be with friends. That made her… incredibly happy." Ami remembered how Yasuko cried when she recounted this part, "She had been struggling all alone for so long. You know about how she ran away from home when she was pregnant with him, right?"

Taiga nodded to confirm, but this was the first that Minori had ever heard of this.

"Since others shunned him, she had to be his whole world… until you came along. And that really meant a lot to her. She put her faith in you… her trust too. She believed in you for what you had been able to do for her son. Yasuko loved you enough to think of you as family… long before either of you realized you were in love with each other."

"I..." Taiga had felt the glow of Ya-chan's love from what Ami was saying, and from her own memories of the times she had spent in that small house with Ryuuji and his mother. But she had never thought too deeply why Ya-chan had liked her. Taiga had simply assumed that Ya-chan was just _that kind of person_ and let it go at that. "I didn't know."

"Did you know that, other than his mother, you were also the first person Ryuuji ever really loved?" Ami glanced up at Minori and added, "I mean a real love, and not just an infatuation."

Minori frowned at Ami's last quip. This had been an old conversation between her and Ami. In the end, they both agreed that Ryuuji's feelings for Minori had been an infatuation that could have become a real love… if it had ever had the chance. And Minori knew that the reason it never progressed from just an infatuation had been her own decision.

"Ya-chan said that?" Taiga blinked.

"Yes. She told me that she had never been so happy than when she found out that her son had fallen in love with someone who also loved him. For the first time in her life, she felt the relief of knowing that there was someone else out there that loved her son for who he was, and someone that was strong enough to help him deal with a society that would never understand him… on first impression." Ami sighed and continued, "And that made it all the more difficult for her when you… left."

"Huh?" Taiga felt as if a chill had suddenly replaced the nice tropical breeze that had been warming her soul.

"He had been depressed before. Who wouldn't have, when no-one would be your friend? But this time… it was far worse than it had ever been before." Ami said softly.

"No… that doesn't make any sense!" Taiga argued, "I was only gone for a year! He had what… fourteen or fifteen years before he had his first friend. It shouldn't have messed him up that bad."

"He had never been as happy… in his whole life, he had never been as happy as he was when the three of you came back from his grandparents house." Ami said.

"What does that have to do with it?" Taiga demanded.

"I get it." Minori paraphrased what she understood for Taiga's benefit, "Since he was never very happy before, he never had far to fall when someone walked away from him."

"But you… the happiness that he felt when he thought he would be going through his last year with someone he loved… Taiga, that kind of happiness was something he wasn't used to. He was like a drunk person walking along a cliff face at night. He loved you… and believed in you… completely." Ami struggled to maintain her composure now. The memories of Ryuuji falling apart in front of her was feeding the anger that she had been trying hard to suppress.

"He fell farther and harder than he had ever fallen before, and… he didn't know how to deal with it." Minori added.

"I've heard all of that… a lot of times! But we were talking about Ya-chan, right?" Taiga tried to diffuse the mood around her, but it didn't work.

"That's right." Ami's gaze turned back to Taiga and it wasn't a friendly look, "Yasuko watched her son fall from dizzying happiness into a physically and emotionally unhealthy depression and… there was nothing she could do. She tried… like she always had when he came home unhappy. But nothing worked this time. Everything she tried, failed. Her own mental health suffered as she watched her son slowly dying."

"I… I didn't know!" Taiga knew the excuse was weak, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"She was one of the people that called you. She left messages and texted you every day… hoping that you would return the call and talk to Ryuuji." Ami told Taiga, "She thought that if you would just do that… if he could just hear your voice for a few minutes, it would be enough to snap him out of his depression. But…"

"I never heard the voice mails or saw the text messages so… I never called." Taiga imagined a desperate and sobbing Ya-chan calling her again and again. She hid her eyes behind her hand as she thought of the senseless pain that had been inflicted on such a sweet person. And whether by action or inaction, Taiga knew it had been her own fault.

"She went through a lot, so… I guess it's not surprising that she's afraid of you now." Minori said as compassionately as she could.

"Wait… she came to my Kendo events. How come she wasn't afraid of me then?" Taiga challenged.

"That's true." Minori felt a little hope spring up, but it wouldn't last.

"Each of those times, there were a lot of others around and… you never tried to lead him away." Ami replied.

"Oh… yeah." Minori recalled the occasions when Taiga, Ryuuji, and Yasuko had all been at the same place and, it was true.

Taiga too recalled those occasions but said nothing. Even if she wanted to argue with Ami, what had just happened a few rows away, in this very train car… was indisputable. Worse than that – Ya-chan, who had once considered Taiga a part of her family, was now afraid of her. Her hand was in front of her eyes again and a long sorrowful moan escaped her lips as she thought about another thing she had lost, "Noooooo."

Ami's anger had been just under the rage level, but it was washed away now. A defiant Taiga would have kept those fires of anger well stoked, but the Palm Top Tiger was anything but defiant now. She looked up to Minori, still standing in the aisle. She wanted to signal to Minori that it was time for them to switch places so Taiga could cry on her pink haired friend. But she didn't move fast enough.

"Amin!" Taiga leaned into Ami and held onto her blouse as she cried.

"Ah!" Ami jerked back a little at this unexpected contact and looked down at the girl that had suddenly become attached to her, in disbelief.

"What can I do? I never wanted to hurt anyone. You believe me don't you?" Taiga pleaded.

Ami could feel the desperation in the way Taiga clutched at her shirt, and the trembling from the small body wracked with sobs. She knew from experience that Taiga was capable of a little play-acting deception, but this felt real. Her sympathy waxed and she relaxed – putting her arms around Taiga in an awkward hug. The seats wouldn't allow for more than that, but they didn't keep Ami from showing compassion for the distraught friend. But that would be the extent of the comfort for now. The only words Ami could give her would sting a bit. "I don't think there is anything you can do right now. This is something that is going to take some time."

"How… how much time?" Taiga asked.

"I don't know." Ami admitted. Even a professional psychiatrist wouldn't be able to give an answer to that question. But, Ami had a thought. "I heard from several people that you did a splendid job of taking care of little Tatsuya."

"I tried! I really tried my best." Taiga said eagerly.

"I believe you." Ami was a little creeped out at the way Taiga was hanging onto her and looking so uncharacteristically earnest, but she continued, "It's a shame Yasuko wasn't there to see it."

"So, I missed my chance?" Taiga pleaded.

"No Taiga," Minori patted Taiga's head from behind as she told her friend, "This is something you can do. You already know you can watch after Tatsuya and he even likes it when you hold him, right?"

"Yeah?" Taiga agreed, but didn't know how this was going to help with Ya-chan.

"Just keep doing that." Minori suggested, "When Yasuko sees you caring for her little brother…"

"Grandson!" Ami corrected.

"Right." Minori paused briefly to wonder why she had made that mistake, "Anyway, when she sees that… she's sure to come around! She'll be liking you again in no time!"

"It's all right with me if you want to try that." Ami offered.

"It's… it's not like I want to be around a smelly infant." Taiga said with a shadow of her old tsundere arrogance.

"Oh, well never-mind then. If it's too much trouble for you." Ami quickly dismissed the offer as if it were a silly idea in the first place.

"I didn't say it was _too_ much trouble!" Taiga objected.

"But you obviously don't like smelly infants and, let's be honest – until he's old enough to be out of diapers, he's going to be smelly." Ami countered.

"I… I…" Taiga knew her old habits had once again, put her into a corner that she couldn't get out of by herself.

"It's a shame though. I would really have appreciated some free babysitting." Ami sighed.

"I didn't say I would do it for free!" Taiga snapped. Then she realized that Ami's comment could be used to help her out of her corner. "I mean… I wouldn't need much but I am a college student and… I have expenses."

"How about five hundred yen an hour?" Ami offered.

"I'll take it!" Taiga replied quickly before she blew another opportunity.

"All right then," Ami said as she stood up and moved into the aisle, "it's time that I go back to my seat."

"Wait!" Taiga asked nervously, "What are you going to tell them… that we talked about?"

"I'm not going to lie." Ami enjoyed the startled but accepting look on Taiga's face before smiling as she added, "I'm going to tell them that you've agreed to babysit Tatsuya for five hundred yen an hour."

.

When Ami got back to her seat, Yasuko was leaning into Ryuuji's shoulder and looked peacefully asleep. Everyone else's face wore expressions of curiosity… and concern. Ryuuji in particular was worried about his mother.

He had seen her get upset a few times when he was younger, but nothing like this. After Ami left to talk to Minori and Taiga, he had glanced across at his grandparents but they too looked like they had never seen their daughter behave in such a way.

"Is… is she asleep?" Ryuuji's grandfather asked softly.

"Yeah, I think so." Ryuuji replied. Over the years, Yasuko had fallen asleep on his lap or leaning on him – almost as much as he had fallen asleep leaning on her. So, he was pretty familiar with what she felt like when she was asleep.

"I can give you… whatever you need, if it turns out that she requires… professional help." Ojiisan Takasu said quietly. From the difficulty he had in getting the words out, all of them could see how difficult it was for him to accept that his daughter might need _that_ kind of help.

"That's a great idea!" Kawashima Anna said warmly as she took the old man's arm and pushed herself up against him like a cat looking for attention.

"It is?" Ryuuji didn't know why Ami's mother would endorse something that his grandfather found so repulsive.

"Of course! I've had _professional help_ many times over the years, and I think it has done me a world of good." Ami answered casually.

"You have?" Ojiisan Takasu looked dumbstruck at such a revelation. He had always thought that the kind of people that needed psychiatric help were like serial killers, sexual deviants, and the detestable otaku.

"What? Are you one of those people that think only the scum of the earth need psychiatrists?" Ami taunted the old man with a pained look.

"No… I… uh…" Ojiisan Takasu realized that a truthful answer meant that he would be insulting the actress that he had long idolized… and who was incidentally hanging on his arm at the moment.

"We almost got psychiatric help for Ryuuji-kun, back when he was struggling." Obāsan Takasu said in an effort to help her husband out of the jam he had put himself in. She knew he was an old man and had opinions like all the other old men from his generation. Having gone through her own depression after her daughter ran away, she had wished that she had scraped up the courage to get help herself.

"Oh?" Anna looked across at Ryuuji. She was about to ask why they didn't get help for him, when she remembered the stories she had heard over the years, and then en masse at the Hisamitsu Estate. That her own daughter had pulled off such a feat seemed fantastical. The Ami she knew had become quite a useless person when she entered her teens. Except for her ability to be pretty in front of the camera, Ami's personality had become something that Anna could barely stand to be around… but that had changed too – and she knew she was looking at the man that had encouraged that change. Anna shifted her gaze to her daughter and smiled.

Ami hadn't been paying attention to the conversation. Ryuuji sat between her and Yasuko, but Ami could see the Onee-chan's sleeping face on Ryuuji's shoulder. She knew Ryuuji was concerned and took his hand, squeezing it to show her support – and to let him know that she would be in this fight too. Her heart beat a little stronger when his big hand closed around hers and gave her a firm, but gentle squeeze. With her other hand, she reached across Ryuuji and gently brushed the hair out of Yasuko's face.

Anna squeezed Ojiisan Takasu's arm a little tighter – which pressed her not insubstantial breasts into his arm and chest. It couldn't be helped though, she was proud of who her daughter had become. They had both become the kind of people that inspired belief and in her heart, she knew that Ami and Ryuuji could mend anything, since they had already done the incredible by fixing each other.

"Emurff!" Ojiisan Takasu muffled as he felt the softness pressing against his arm and chest. His wife glanced over from where she was holding little Tatsuya and stifled a chuckle.

"I think your daughter's going to be just fine." Anna whispered to the grandparents.

"Oh?" the grandmother asked. She didn't believe that her daughter was beaten by this either, but she wanted to know what had given such hope to the glamorous celebrity currently snuggled up against her husband.

"Just look," Anna gestured over at Ryuuji and Ami with her eyes, "she's already in very capable hands."

.

After the stop in Osaka where the grandparents and great grandparents departed for their own destinations, there was an uneasy pall that settled over the passengers on the Tokyo bound bullet train. Many of them, like Ryuuji, Ami, and their friends, had not been back to Tokyo since the recent disasters. News stories had told of countless repairs that needed to be made to the rail system, how Tokyo's skyscrapers had swayed perilously during the earthquake, and of the recent scare about radiation in the drinking water… Like many of the other passengers, Ryuuji and his little party were somewhat concerned about what awaited them.

The inside of the train flickered bright and dark as the Shinkansen sped through the numerous, but brief tunnels of the foothills of southern Kanagawa. When the last tunnel was cleared, they still weren't in the true city of Tokyo, but they had entered the southern most reaches of it's urban sprawl. From here to their destination at Tokyo station, they would be passing through the interconnected cities that made up the southern coastal part of the great metropolis.

Yokohama and Kawasaki flew by the windows and looked… like they had always looked. Small plots of land with crops interspersed with houses and convenience stores changed to houses interspersed with apartment buildings, and finally to bigger buildings as the train passed north of the harbor district. Soon, the Tokyo Tower could be seen between the numerous skyscrapers and there was a strange, uneasy feeling that everyone shared at just how normal everything looked.

When the train finally pulled into the majestic Tokyo Station, the odd feeling that everything was _normal_ was even more intense. Ceilings were intact, windows in the high domes and spires weren't broken or missing, and the floors weren't cracked or crumbled. It was the same majestic red brick station that it had been for almost a century.

After the surprise of normalcy was over, everyone was eager to get to their last connections to get them home, but they still lingered on the platform for a few moments. From here, Minori and Taiga would be taking the underground tunnels that would get them to Otemachi Station where they would catch the commuter train that would get them back to Waseda University. But everyone else would be crossing much of the vast Tokyo Station to get to their final connection that would get them close to Meiji University.

"I guess, this is goodbye for now." Minori said as she clutched her suitcase handle.

"But not for too long, right?" Taiga demanded, "You promised a reunion during the summer vacation, Ryuuji!"

"I know. I've already started on it." Ryuuji smiled at the way Taiga tried to use an abrasive attitude to hide the fact that she wanted to see her friends again.

"Is Kitamura-kun really going to be there?" Taiga asked. She believed he would want to, but California was such a long way away.

"He said he would try." Ami replied and then added with a sinister smile, "If he does, he'll be bringing your old friend Kano-san with him."

"Sumire..." Taiga remembered the fight between her with her bokutō, and Sumire with her shinai – fighting over their love for the same boy. And now, even though the romantic matter was finished, Taiga still felt as though that fight had not yet been properly resolved. "Ha, I hope she shows her face! Maybe she'll be here long enough for a little rematch."

"That sounds like fun!" Minori cheered.

"What!" Ryuuji couldn't believe that Minori would be encouraging a violent confrontation during the reunion. But his shock didn't last long. As devoted to _sport_ as the pink haired girl was, he realized that he should have counted on her supporting any kind of contest. "Yeah… if Sumire is up to it, maybe it would be interesting."

"Well, I guess we'll see you again then…" Taiga always hated goodbyes – mostly because she didn't know what to say. And now, with awkwardness of Yasuko's reaction on the train still in her memory, she felt even more uncomfortable than usual.

"Baka!" Ami laughed at Taiga's discomfort and through a sly smile – asked Taiga, "Have you forgotten your promise so soon?"

"Eh?" Taiga couldn't tell what Ami was up to, but her little superiority act didn't sit well.

"You promised to me on the train," Ami said as she sauntered over to Taiga and looked down into the Palm Top Tiger's amber eyes, "that you will babysit my little Tatsuya, whenever I need you. And I've decided that Ryuuji and I are going to be… involved… in a lot of things for the rest of this semester! So you better clear your calendar because you… are… mine!"

"Ah!" Taiga was about to tell a certain blue haired _princess_ that she could stuff all those plans - when it suddenly occurred to her what Ami was up to. _It's all an act! And, it's even an act for me… so I can fix my relationship with Yasuko. Damn, she really is good at this._ Taiga's fists unclenched and she sighed. "Well, a promise is a promise."

"I could watch Tatsuya." Yasuko offered.

Taiga cringed that Ami's plans might crumble so easily, but a glance at the bluenette revealed a smile of confidence instead of the worry she expected to see.

"Um, Onee-chan? You promised that you would help me with homework and getting me to my dance and singing lessons." Aiko-chan chimed in.

"Oh? Yeah, I guess I did." Yasuko wanted to beg off that commitment, so she could spend more time with her delightful little grandson. But cute little Aiko-chan's use of her big-sister nickname was a very powerful flattery assault that Yasuko had no resistance to.

"Well, I guess we should be going. We still need to hoof it to Otemachi Station." Minori said, but then both she and Taiga's heads popped forward as if they had been struck from behind and they both cried out, "Ow!"

"Otemachi Station?" Suzume's older, but shorter sister stood behind them. She had just delivered a head smack to the pair for their ridiculous statement, "The Tozai Line is the most densely packed train in all of Tokyo. And you nitwits plan to take it during rush hour… with luggage? Are you sure you're smart enough to be in college?"

"Hey!" Taiga rebutted while rubbing the back of her head, "I though people in customer service jobs were supposed to be nicer!"

"Quiet you! My car is here, so unless you want me to leave you to battle the crowds alone, it'll be _you_ showing _me_ the meaning of polite." Umeko-san wasn't cutting Taiga any slack. Ever since the Kendo event when Taiga had tricked her into wearing a Miko outfit and acting as Taiga's servant, the gloves were off.

"Um..." Taiga hated to lose two battles in a row, but dealing with the crowds on the train at this time of day really was insane. And with a suitcase… Giving a slight bow, she quietly said, "Gomen'nasai… and, arigato."

"Hey, _little_ sister." Suzume said to Umeko-san. She didn't usually taunt her older sister like this, but she didn't like the way Umeko-san was picking on her friends. "I'm glad you're okay, but… have you put on a little weight while I was gone? Are you going to be able to fit back into your uniform?"

"What!" Umeko-san was aghast at this unexpected attack from her kid sister. She was about to demand that Suzume give her the respect that an older sister was due, when Suzume smiled and winked.

"Don't bother threatening me with a ride. I'm going with Ryuuji-sama." Suzume taunted.

"Eh?" Umeko-san had been looking forward to seeing her little sister after returning from her travels, but now even that was falling away.

"It's true. We need to get everything ready for the new school year." Umeki explained.

"But…" Umeko-san, despite just getting slammed, really did love her younger sister and had been missing her since she had left for Australia a month ago.

"I think she's upset with you for bullying Taiga and me." Minori whispered to Umeko-san like a first base coach giving instructions to a base runner. Then she added, "She'll only have a half-day on Friday. We can visit her then."

"Thanks, Minori." Umeko-san knew she could count on her fellow baseball player.

.

There was the chorus of _bye-bye_ s and _see-you-later_ s, just as there were with any scene where people get back from a long trip and finally head off to their own homes. It wasn't quite the tearful goodbye that they had experienced in Australia when they had to say farewell to Deena-chan, but then again… they weren't going to be all that far from each other. Indeed, dormitories, homes, and apartments for all of the friends and family now living in Tokyo were all within four kilometers of each other… as the bird flies. That is not to say that there wasn't some sadness at the first parting, at the Tokyo Train station.

Ami gazed at the people being crammed onto all the commuter trains and groaned. Umeko's words hadn't only been true for the one train line that would have been taking Taiga and Minori to Waseda. All of the commuter trains would be packed full of weary passengers… for the next hour or so. Students with their backpacks, women with their purses, and men with their briefcases – all jammed into the train cars until they were impossibly full. Such was life in a metropolis. But Ami's group didn't just have luggage with them – they also had two infants that they were toting. The idea of being crushed by the other passengers while trying to carry an infant, and keep track of her luggage, didn't appeal to her at all. She glanced over at the other mother in the group and saw that Yuri-sensei seemed to have the same expression. Turning to Ryuuji, she planned to tell him that she wanted to wait out the crowds – but he was on the phone.

"Kitchen Street!" Ryuuji announced as he brought his phone down from his face and started typing in messages.

"What?" Ami wasn't quite sure she heard him right in the crowded and noisy train platform.

"We have reservations for dinner." Ryuuji said while he picked up two of the larger suitcases and turned for the escalators that would take them away from the train platform into the vast maze of corridors and pedestrian avenues that ran beneath the giant train station.

"Ryuji-sama," Aiko-chan tried her hardest not to sound like she was whining, "I'm pretty tired. How far away is this place?"

"It's here in the train station." Ryuuji told her.

"What about our luggage?" Yuri asked.

"They said they would stow it for us." Ryuuji replied to his former sensei.

"I'm hungry." Umeki said in agreement with Ryuuji's decision to go to a restaurant.

"I could eat!" Suzume also agreed while hurrying to catch up with Umeki and Ryuuji.

"You can always eat." Umeki laughed.

"Hey!" Suzume cried out indignantly.

Ryuuji was leading the way, with the younger girls chattering away around him. A few paces back, Yasuko walked with Ami and Yuri, who were both carrying their children. The three of them were treated to the amusing sight of the three younger girls, fluttering around their Ryuuji-sama.

"Who would have believed that he, of all people, would turn into a little-girl-magnet?" Ami laughed.

"Or any kind of magnet! I can remember watching the students in the hall. They were packed elbow to elbow trying to get to their next class, but there was a bubble around Ryuuji. No-one would come within three meters of him… except Kitamura."

"I don't remember that." Ami looked at her former teacher curiously.

"It stopped shortly before you came to our school." Yuri replied.

Ami realized why. It had been Taiga. He had only been associating with the aggravating runt for a little while before Ami had arrived. But, it had been enough to have already made a difference in the students around them. _Well, it wasn't all Taiga._ _I know Kitamura fought hard to make things better for Ryuuji too._ She was wondering if Yasuko knew how much of Ryuuji's image transformation had been Kitamura's doing, when she noticed that her mother in law looked like she was walking along in a trance. "Yasuko, are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh… I was just watching Ryu-chan! He looks so cool, doesn't he? I used to tell him that he'd grow up to look like a hunk, just like his father… and he did!" Yasuko gushed.

"Onee-chan, you should really stop doing that." Yuri said quietly. She didn't want to shoot her friend down when she was so happy, but this was a habit of Yasuko's that annoyed everyone around her… and her son most of all.

"Doing what?" Yasuko asked innocently.

"You should stop comparing Ryuuji to his father." Ami also didn't care for it either, "It's insulting."

"Insulting… how?" Yasuko was genuinely confused at the comments from both of her friends. "You don't think Ryu-chan looks like a hunk?"

"It's not about looks, Yasuko." Ami wished this hadn't come up now, but then… there would never be a _good_ time to explain this to Yasuko. That being the case, Ami decided to forge ahead, "Ryuuji's father was a useless thug with no evidence of loyalty, morals, or ethics. He used you while it was fun, and walked away when you became inconvenient. Tell me… what part of that is like Ryuuji?"

"But, he looked cool… just like Ryuuji does." Yasuko pleaded.

"His looks were a curse for Ryuuji, Onee-chan." Yuri said softly, "It wasn't his attitude, habits, or hobbies that scared everyone away from him all through his childhood."

"I don't mean just his face. He looks cool all dressed up, just like his father did." Yasuko tried to explain.

"I've seen the pictures. That man wore flashy clothes. They looked good on him, but he still looked like a thug." Ami replied, "But look at Ryuuji now."

Ryuuji was wearing a beige overcoat on a dark blue suit that he had kept from the Australian fashion shows, with a deep burgundy scarf Ami had picked up for him in Tokushima. He walked tall and carried himself with pride, as had been his custom since Yamada Yukiko and Hisako taught him how to look and act like a manager. Even if the appearance of pride masked the fear that he might somehow let his charges down, he never shirked that responsibility and constantly tried to learn and improve, He had certainly become someone to be proud of, and yet…

"Yasuko? Yasuko, why are you crying?" Ami worried that she and Yuri might have been too hard on Ryuuji's mother.

"Sometimes… it's just scary how much he's grown." Yasuko dabbed at the wetness around her eyes and continued, "I used to like the way he shined when he was studying. I hoped that all his smarts and learning would make him happy one day. I thought it would be a long time, and I wanted to be there to help him… and watch him on his way to that dream. But he's done so much… and he's already so happy… I just… don't feel like I'm useful to him anymore."

Yasuko clutched at the handle of the rolling suitcase she was pulling with her head hung. She was fighting the emotions that were welling up inside her. She was glad to have friends like Ami and Yuri – friends that would listen to the things that troubled her heart. But she certainly didn't want to embarrass her son by breaking down into tears in the middle of Tokyo Station. At a time like this, she was thankful for the support of…

"Baaaaaaaka!" Ami said while shaking her head, "That has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"What?" Yasuko was stunned at Ami's unforgiving response.

"I have to agree." Yuri chimed in, "That last comment was pretty ludicrous. On the scale of intelligence, I think an eggplant might be smarter."

"Hey! I'm not even as smart as an animal?" Yasuko whimpered.

"If my hands were free, I'd call Hisako and tell her what you just said. Do you know what she would do?" Ami asked, but didn't wait for an answer, "She would fly all the way here to slap you. She would keep on slapping you until your brain started working again."

"What? What did I say that was so wrong?" Yasuko begged them.

"Usefulness..." Ami noticed that Ryuuji and the younger girls had walked into an Italian restaurant, so she stopped in front of Yasuko and told her quietly, but firmly, "Usefulness has nothing to do with it. I know why he calls you by your name instead of your title, but you need to understand something. You are his mother and he loves you very, very much. Next to that, whether you are useful or not is irrelevant."

"Yasuko, it was his father that ran off to some other girl when you became an inconvenience. Ryuuji would never do something like that." Yuri leaned closer and asked, "Just who are you thinking of when you look at Ryuuji?"

"Ah!" Yasuko shook as if she had just been splashed by cold water. Yuri's question had sent her mind reeling and she didn't have an answer. It was something she had never considered, but now that the question had been raised – it was something that must be answered.

"Is she okay?" Yuri asked Ami.

"I don't know… I think you broke her brain." Ami commented as she looked at Yasuko's wide, unblinking eyes.

"Ill go get Ryuuji." Yuri hurried on into the restaurant with her son in her arms.

"Did you hear that?" Ami asked the still dumbfounded blond, "Yuri was his teacher. She's about a decade older than him. And yet, she relies on him too. Hisako and I are veterans in the modeling industry and yet, we both chose Ryuuji to be our manager even though he had no experience. He has become a paragon of reliability. You really raised him well Yasuko."

"Ah!" Yasuko gasped as if she had just remembered how to breathe. Her eyes blinked and she looked up at Ami.

 _You really raised him well Yasuko._

"Do you really think so?" Yasuko asked meekly. Her question had nothing to do with whether her son had turned out well. Rather, she still found it hard to believe that her pathetic mothering skills had really made all that much of a difference in her son's life.

"Are you kidding?" Ami smiled, "Look, I know I can be a great performer, but a mother? I'm not so sure about that role. I mean… I'm pretty sure I can do it. But I want little Tatsuya to grow up to be as wonderful as his father is, so _pretty sure_ isn't going to be good enough. But I'm not worried."

"Why not?" Yasuko asked.

"Because, I've got you." Ami replied just as Ryuuji came out of the restaurant.

Ryuuji was puzzled why his mother was clinging to Ami and crying – but seemed happy. He was about to ask what was going on, but Ami waved him off with a shake of her head. Instead, he took the remaining luggage from his mother and the baby carrier from his wife. Looking down into the baby carrier and saw that his son was looking back at him with a curious expression.

"Don't look at me for answers," he told his son quietly, "I can't figure them out either."

.

 **Friday** **morning** **,** **April 1st** **– Meji Affiliated School**

* * *

The first day of school was traditionally a half day, but a lot was packed into that half day. Aiko-chan didn't mind though. She was practically singing as she strode along the path with Suzume and Umeki. Except for the homesickness, her spring break had been an amazing time and she couldn't wait to tell her friends about it.

It was an odd site to see the three walking to school together. Suzume alone caused a double-take when others passed by the 181 centimeter tall girl. Much taller than the average Japanese woman and even taller than most Japanese men, she was certainly too tall to be wearing a girl's high school uniform. And yet, this wasn't even her final high school year. But it wasn't just the tall red head that seemed odd to the passers-by.

Umeki was a much more normal height for a high school girl. At 151 centimeters, she was actually a little on the short side for second year high school girl, but she somehow looked a lot shorter while she was walking with Suzume and Aiko-chan. The younger, golden haired girl was only three centimeters taller than Umeki, but unlike her senpai's she wasn't wearing the livery of a high school girl. And she wouldn't be wearing it for a while either. The ten year old was still in elementary school and would be for quite a while. It wouldn't be for another two years until she would finally be graduating to the Junior High program… at the same time that her senpai's were graduating from High School to College. And thinking about walking to school with her senpai's for another two years made her very happy.

"You seem to be in good spirits, Aiko-chan." Umeki observed.

"Yes!" Aiko-chan bounced on her toes and spun around in an impromptu dance when she replied, "I get to go to school with my senpai's and then, I get to tell all my friends about the fun things we did!"

"Hey, Aiko-chan!" a group of other elementary school kids approached the trio just outside the gates of the school. "Wow, look at you guys! You're all so tanned."

"Huh? We are?" Suzume looked at her arms, but really noticed the difference when the grade school kids got closer and she could see the difference between her skin tone and theirs.

"I guess we didn't notice it since we were always around people that were there with us." Umeki observed.

"I thought it all went away, but I guess there's still some left." Aiko-chan laughed as she held her hand up against several of her friends.

"Did you get that tan in Auxtraland?" one of the boys asked.

"Yup!" Aiko-chan answered with a big grin.

"It's Australia, and yes. We were in the sun a lot while we were down there." Suzume explained.

"Did you see any of our shows?" Aiko-chan asked with hopeful excitement.

"No, they weren't on any channels we got. But the people on the news are talking about it a lot." a girl answered.

"The news? Why would they be talking about it?" Aiko-chan asked aloud, but she didn't get an answer from her friends. Not a lot of grade school aged children watch the news after all.

Not a lot of high school aged children watch the news either… normally. But things hadn't been normal in Japan for several weeks. The two natural disasters and the continuing problems with the nuclear power plant brought more attention to the recent news broadcasts. Even teenagers were tuning in to find out the latest development, so it was no surprise that Suzume and Umeki got a lot of questions when they entered the courtyard of the school building that was surrounded by the high school wings.

Some of the comments were friendly. Several people thought they had a healthy glow with the tropical tans they still had. Others asked if they had fun on their trip or if they got to pet a kangaroo or a koala.

But a few questions were a bit darker. Some students seemed bitter and wanted to know why they would choose to flee the country when everyone else was suffering. Suzume and Umeki didn't recognize those students as anyone that had been in their previous class-year, but the comments still stung. Friends and former classmates supported them though, and it seemed that everything would be better when they got to their homeroom with Yuri-sensei.

But that didn't seem to be the case. Someone from the faculty office was there to take roll, but she wouldn't tell anyone why Yuri-sensei wasn't there. After what had happened in the courtyard, both of them had a bad feeling about their missing teacher.

.

Yuri was having a bad feeling too. She was in the Headmaster's office along with several other people. Some of them were from the University administration, but there were also members of the Disciplinary Committee and the Student Council there as well. Unfortunately, many of them were looking at her with accusational eyes. Some of their expressions bordered on contempt.

Yuri had arrived earlier in the morning but hadn't even finished preparing her desk when she was coldly told to report to the Headmaster's office. The woman that had come for her did not seem happy to see Yuri, but was at least kind enough to give her a warning about what she was being summoned for.

"It is going to be decided whether or not you are let go." the woman said tersely.

"Let go? For what?" Yuri asked. She tried to ask calmly, but this was the kind of thing that easily made her fall apart.

"Very poor judgment. And… possibly an ethics violation." the woman quietly vented as she showed the terrified Yuri into the empty room to wait.

Yuri sat in the room by herself, wondering what she had done and how she could explain this to her husband, her friends, and her students. As if her mind was on auto-pilot, she sent a text message to her husband and clutched her cell phone as if it were a lifeline back to him. Then she was left to her fears, alone in the big room as minutes turned into an hour. She felt like she needed to go to the bathroom, and maybe even vomit from the stress, but she was afraid to move from the chair that she had been shown to. Almost two hours passed before the door opened again and others began to file in.

The Headmaster entered but didn't greet her. He walked around to his chair and took a seat while gazing at her. He didn't seem terribly upset with her, but he did have a sad expression as if she had somehow disappointed him. The woman that had summoned her was there, and she still looked quite disgusted. Others arrived, and she recognized members of the University administration office and the student government officers.

After the room was nearly full of people and Yuri's nerves were about shot, the disgusted woman asked, Do you understand why you are here, Koigakubo Yuri?"

"I… I…" Yuri stammered from her fright, even as the door behind her opened to admit even more people into the room.

"That would be _Locke_ Yuri" a very deep voice bellowed from behind her.

"Eep!" Yuri couldn't help but cry out a little as a large hand settled on her shoulder and gave her a firm squeeze. The sudden contact had startled her, but she could feel the stress starting to evaporate, now that _The Major_ was here. Until she unexpectedly heard her husband's voice, she hadn't realized just how much she wanted someone else who was on her side, to be in the room with her.

"This does not concern you, Major Locke. You should leave." the unpleasant woman spoke to him as if she were correcting an errant child.

"She is my wife, and it would seem that this… meeting has been set up to bring some kind of allegation against her. From what I can tell, by reading the expressions of the people around the room, it would seem that some of you have already come to a conclusion without having first convened a proper board." The Major let that set in for a moment. He was an employee of the university as well, and he had read through all of their rules and bylaws. He could tell from the uncomfortable looks around the room that he had struck a blow with that comment.

"Major Locke, nothing has been decided." the Headmaster said in a calmer tone than the irate woman, "This is just an inquiry."

"If it is a board of inquiry, then where is my wife's representation? All I can see here is the representation of the accusers, and those that will pass judgment." The Major asked.

"Oh? So you admit that your wife has done something that needs representation?" the bitter woman demanded. She thought she had trapped him, but The Major had been through this kind of wringer before – both as the accused, and as the defender of the accused.

"One should always have representation when faced with baseless allegations and the contemptible lies of cowards."

"Are you calling me a coward?" the woman demanded.

"No no, it was just a quote from a politician that was falsely accused." The Major replied.

"Regardless," the woman fumed, "the matter here is about Locke Yuri's lack of judgment and ethics..."

"Alleged!" The Major interrupted – pointing out the critical omission in the woman's statement.

"Fine!" the woman took a deep breath and amended her statement, "The matter here is about Locke Yuri's _alleged_ lack of judgment and ethics. However… from the beginning I had my suspicions about her abilities in this prestigious institution, so I have no faith in her ability to carry on in her current capacity as an instructor here."

"I find your lack of faith disturbing." The major replied with a half smile.

"Another one of your western witticisms?" the woman demanded.

"He was… a great leader. A long time ago." The Major struggled to keep a straight face while giving his reply.

"I don't care who he was. We are here to present the evidence of Locke Yuri's wrongdoing, so that we can get on with her termination." the woman spat.

"This is supposed to be an inquiry, is it not? In an inquiry, questions are asked and answers are given. There is no punishment step in an inquiry. Your fundamental lack of understanding of what should be going on in this room is deeply concerning." The Major now looked at the woman as if she were the unschooled child that needed supervision.

"There is no lack of understanding here! I know everything about her unforgivable actions! I will have justice!" the woman demanded.

"If you understand everything, you must be misinformed." The Major quipped.

"Misinformed! I have held this position for over thirty years and I have never been wrong in these matters!" the woman insisted.

"Boasting begins where wisdom stops." The Major said calmly while smiling at the woman's building anger.

"Now… you are calling me a fool!" the woman shouted as her countenance twisted in anger an disgust.

"How unsightly. The face becomes a mirror of the soul." The Major smiled.

"I will not be made a fool of! You will acknowledge my authority here!" the woman yelled.

"One who smiles rather than rages is always the stronger." The Major replied.

"I thought I made it perfectly clear that I did not want to hear any more of your western witticisms!" the woman screamed.

"Those were… Japanese proverbs." another of the people around the Headmasters desk said.

"WHAT!" the woman's wrath turned on the person who had spoken up, but the short older man was unphased by the irate woman's blustering.

"Those were not Western witticisms. Everything he has said, since his inquiry about this being an inquiry has been a Japanese proverb." a short man announced to the room, rather than address the irate woman directly. Then he turned to The Major and gave a short bow before addressing him, "Very good, Major Locke. Your elocution of the Japanese language is better than some native speakers I know. And your knowledge of proverbs and idioms is quite impressive."

"Thank you, Oshiro-hakase." The Major remembered the little man from the orientation ceremony when he was retained as a substitute language teacher. Unless his role had changed since then, the short but well-spoken man was the head of Japanese literature and culture on the college side of the house.

"You are certainly welcome. I have always been impressed with your linguistic skills, but pardon me for asking… how do those skills qualify you to be her representative in this inquiry?"

"They do not. Rather, I am here due to my concern for my wife." The Major admitted.

"With all due respect, that is not a sufficient justification for your presence in these proceedings." the Headmaster said.

"Hmpf!" the irate woman gloated at what she counted as a personal victory over this… foreigner.

Yuri felt her heart stop beating when it looked for the moment as if she might have to face these people alone after all.

"That is why I brought my friend, Colonel Masahiro of the JSDF JAG Corps along. I assume that his credentials as a certified lawyer will be sufficient for a mere inquiry?" The Major announced, while staring directly at the woman that seemed to have something personal against his wife.

"Of course." the little man said and even smiled at the Major.

"Since your wife now has representation, I will have to ask you to leave… before we begin the proceedings." the Headmaster said levelly at The Major.

"Understood. But… before I go, may I hear the subject of concern that has necessitated this inquiry?" The Major asked.

"Very well." the Headmaster stood and looked down at the still seated Yuri, "It has been reported, and it is widely believed by the public, that Locke Yori – along with the entertainers that she was traveling with, were out gallivanting around in foreign countries – having a good time… while there was catastrophe and destruction at home. While this is not illegal, it creates a poor public image that reflects on the University."

"Then the problem isn't what she did or didn't do, it is all about the public perception?" The Major asked.

"I am afraid so. Please understand that… most of us have no ill will toward your wife. In fact, most comments from peers, students, and parents have been quite positive. However, it has always been the policy of the administration to distance itself from anyone that would cast a negative image on the University and it's affiliated schools." the Headmaster took a deep breath and confessed to The Major, "I'm sorry, but I do not see much hope for Locke Yuri's case in this unfortunate event."

"I… understand." The Major looked down at his wife's beseeching face and softly told her, "For now, trust in Colonel Masahiro. I'll be just outside these doors… making some phone calls."

Yuri nodded up at him but couldn't say anything. The words, along with her emotions, were caught in her throat. She watched him walk toward the doors behind her, but a hand gently squeezed her shoulder before she could fully panic. The Colonel wasn't looking down at her. His gaze was sweeping across the faces of the people he was about to face off with. But Yuri was sure that his quiet words were for intended for her.

"I was with your husband in Sendai. He is a remarkable and a very resourceful man. No matter what happens in this room, you should place your trust in him." the Colonel told her.

The solace of the Colonel came just in time. The vindictive woman was now gloating and laughing disdainfully as The Major left the room and closed the doors behind him.

.

The Major could hear the laughter but that didn't bother him as much as what he had heard from the Headmaster.

 _...it has always been the policy of the administration to distance itself from anyone that would cast a negative image on the University and it's affiliated schools._

He knew that a policy like that might not just stop with a teacher. There was a very real chance that three girls that were very special to him and his wife, might be expelled from the school… after they were done with his wife.

.

* * *

 **Glossary**

 **500 yen** : roughly equivalent to $5 USD.

 **Arigato** : thank you.

 **Bokutō** : a wooden katana, or sword.

 **Gomen'nasai** : formal version of 'sorry'.

 **Hakase** : a person of high academic accomplishment; a professor or a doctor.

 **JAG** : Judge Advocate General – lawyers and judges who handle mostly criminal, but some civil cases within the military.

 **JSDF** : Japanese Self Defense Force – Japan's modern military.

.

* * *

 **Apologies**

I will be taking a hiatus from this story for a while. I have been working on finishing off Book 3 of _The Kotomi Continuum_ at the same time that I have been working on this, and I believe it is making both projects take longer than they should. But trust me, I do have an idea where this will be going and I will NOT let it be an unfinished work. Also, I won't be starting any new projects until _The Kotomi Continuum_ and _Walk The Same Path_ are both complete. So, if you have been enjoying this story, please favorite it and you will be updated when I post the next chapter.


	14. Chapter 14 - Hey Siri

**Monday afternoon, April 4** **th** **– Hisamitsu Townhouse in Tokushima**

* * *

The confrontation at the school was only the beginning of the fallout. Soon, there were questions about whether Ryuuji had the experience or the morals to manage the performers. As evidence of his unsuitability, it was pointed out that he had a grade schooler perform a song about illicit drug use while in Australia. It was suggested that his presence was corrupting the otherwise innocent young girls in the performance troupe. Even the press wasn't willing to make Aiko-chan and Suzume out to be miscreants, but those two were the only ones that were spared. It was assumed that Ami was complicit due to her marriage to Ryuuji, the evil manager. But there was no excuse for any of the other adults, they were obviously part of his schemes to use the talented young girls for their own petty gains.

And of course, those accusations included Kurosawa Hisako. All of the bad rumors about her, that her friends had thought were forgotten, came storming back. Reporters, pundits, supposed experts in the entertainment industry – all seemed to have an axe to grind for the unveiled villainess who was once again, revealing her true colors.

Two of the more virulent entertainment magazines were sitting to the side of the piles of textbooks and the laptop computer on the table in front of Hisako. Her face was on the cover of both of them, along with Ami and Ryuuji. Their glossy covers were ruffled and it was obvious that they had been read, but for now, they were serving to protect the table from a large cold bottle of green tea. Hisako may have looked through the magazines at some point, but her focus now was on one of the textbooks and the laptop computer in front of her.

"We're home!" three voices called out from the genkan. None of the voices sounded as excited as usual. Hisako could detect a bit of concern from the next room, even though they had been fairly quiet. The reasons for their quiet entry were currently snoozing in a nearby bedroom. The twins were only a little over four months old, so the adults had already learned the lesson of moving about stealthily, when they were asleep. Nanako gave her girlfriend a wink, but breezed through the room to check on the babies. She knew that Maya and Noto wanted to have an important chat with Hisako, without too many distractions.

"Hisako?" Noto called out softly, as he set his books down on the same table where the tall model was studying.

Maya said nothing but put her books down next to Noto's, before taking his arm. Never having developed the skill to mask her emotions, she looked as if she were about to burst into tears at any moment.

"Noto-sama?" Hisako replied as she looked up. She could feel the concern that the both of them had for her, but she reacted innocently – as if this were any ordinary conversation.

"Are… you okay?" Noto asked.

"Of course," Hisako looked a little confused and asked, "Why shouldn't I be?"

"I just…" Noto started but Maya couldn't contain herself any longer.

"The student center has TVs and stuff and they… the people on the TVs were saying a lot of mean things about you. Things that… I know they're not true!" Maya insisted.

Hisako looked back at Maya, then at the concerned look on Noto's face and smiled. "You're worried about me. You really don't need to, but it does make me feel good to know that."

"Hisako, this isn't a joke." Noto tried to get the black haired model to understand how serious this was. The things they were saying were the kinds of things that could give her a bad reputation for the rest of her career… possibly even her life. As a professional model, or as any kind of performer, she might never be able to recover from the malicious things that were being said about her.

"Noto-sama," Hisako said patiently as she laid her hand on the small stack of magazines off to the side, "I know what they are saying. But you must remember… it's not the first time this has happened to me."

"Then, you _are_ worried about it?" Maya asked when she saw the magazines.

"Not for myself." Hisako told them, "I was just looking through the articles to make sure they hadn't stooped to attacking Suzume or Aiko-chan."

"But… you should be worried about yourself too!" Maya implored.

"I was worried this morning, but I got a call from Noto-sama's grandmother." Turning to Noto, Hisako said, "She is an amazing woman. She can see opportunities even in something as horrible as this. And… she let me know that there is a place for me here, no matter what might happen to my performing career or my public reputation."

"But…" Noto wanted her to get angry and fight against the injustice that was being done to her.

"Noto-sama, please believe in me for now." Hisako entreated. She wanted him to believe in her abilities, but she was also carefully studying his reaction.

"You…" Noto saw the look in Hisako's eyes and hesitated. She wore the look of someone who was seriously evaluating… something. But with the way she was looking at him, he had the feeling that it wasn't the smear campaign or her public image that she was thinking so seriously about. _It's me! She is more interested in my reaction to her than anything else. But that isn't rational! I have to convince her! I have to… I have to… calm down. She is evaluating me. I need to think… She doesn't want to see me losing it, does she? No… She wants to know if I trust her? Of course! She even gave me a clue…_ Noto rethought his concerns and changed what he was planning to say, "It is true that you are the only one of us who has been through a scandal before. I can see that you've already thought seriously about this. So, tell me what you have concluded."

"If you wish, Noto-sama." Hisako's smile deepened a little to let him know that he had passed the test that had been laid out for him. She noticed that Maya looked stunned at her husband's change in attitude, but wasn't objecting… yet. "As I have said, I _have_ been through this before. All of the media will be waiting for a response, but any response will be used against the accused… against me. If I vigorously deny the allegations, then I am a trickster, trying to lie my way out of being caught. If I cry emotionally in front of the cameras and reporters, then I am just trying to act my way out of trouble with a pity play. Anyone who stands with me is part of the conspiracy. Anyone who forgives me is admitting my guilt."

"Then, the only thing to do is to be silent?" Maya asked.

"No, that doesn't work either." Hisako explained, "If the accused says nothing, then the accusers will claim that the silence means that everything they said was true. In fact, many of them will be emboldened to go on and make more outrageous claims."

"Then… _everything_ is a trap? There's nothing we can do?" Maya felt horrible that this was happening to her friends but knowing that she was powerless to do anything about it made her feel even worse.

"I'm afraid so." Hisako replied.

"More outrageous claims…" Noto mumbled thoughtfully. He noticed that Hisako didn't seem to be crushed by the futility of her situation. And that made him wonder why. Glancing up at Hisako, he voiced his suspicion, "You've already talked to Ami about this?"

"I have." Hisako replied and the corners of her lips turned up a little when she answered. _Good boy. You're thinking it through. Your grandmother said you could figure this out without being told. Shinako and I agreed with her, but we didn't think you could do it this quickly. Damn, but it's fascinating to watch that brain of yours at work._

"You talked to Ryuuji too, didn't you?" Noto asked. When she nodded her head, he knew his intuition was probably right. Ordering the logical flow or his thoughts, like chess pieces moving in his mind, he raised an eyebrow as he asked, "You… the two of you came up with a plan, didn't you?"

"Very good, Noto-sama." his cousin, Shinako said as she emerged from the kitchen, "As always, your abilities at observation and deduction are impressive."

"Another test." Noto sighed.

"Huh? What's going on?" Maya looked around the room but it seemed that everyone else was having a conversation that she was only hearing half of. Nothing made any sense to her so far, and it was very frustrating.

"Maya-chan," Shinako smiled at the bewildered wife, "You are confused because this has been a test designed for Noto, so I will explain…"

"Test!" Maya interrupted angrily. With tears of frustration falling from her eyes, she hissed, "I know all about you and your grandmother giving Noto these little tests to see if he is ready to take over the family business. But DAMMIT! Did you have to do it now? I'm _really_ worried about my friends!"

The emotional outburst and unexpected reproof hit Shinako and Hisako like a hammer blow. They had gone from feeling proud of themselves for arranging such a subtle test, to awkwardness and shame for the pain they had unintentionally caused Maya. They could both see that the tears in her eyes were real and now they weren't due to anything the press had said. As awful as they both felt for the stress they had unwittingly put on Maya, Noto wouldn't let them apologize just yet. He had something to say first.

"Maya." Noto turned and pulled his wife into a comforting hug. He knew he'd startled her from the way she jolted, but her arms soon wrapped around him and she buried her face into his shoulder while she sobbed. "I know you are a very caring person, and you are worried about all of your friends. I am too, and… believe it or not, so are Shinako and Hisako. They didn't intend to make you feel bad, you know. But testing me is part of their job for the family. It keeps me on my toes and it lets Obāsama know something about my development. Because of that, I feel responsible and would like to be the one to apologize for any discomfort my family life has caused you. It is because of me that they have to do these things at all. Nevertheless… Shinako and Hisako are going to apologize to you in a moment and I hope, for my sake, that you will forgive them."

"Huh?" Maya looked up from the comfort of Noto's shoulder and saw that her two friends were already bowing low to show their sincerity and regret. "No no no, please don't do that…"

Noto watched his embarrassed wife making up with two of her closest companions and wondered how the rest of their friends were doing. After all, the others were in Tokyo, where the intense media scrutiny was the worst. Despite that, he had a lot of confidence in Ryuuji and Ami. _They are strong together. As long as they have each other, they could probably weather anything. At least… that's what I want to believe. But sensei…_ His thoughts went out to the caring teacher and he worried about her getting caught up in such hurtful lies and accusations.

It hadn't been so long ago that he could forget about collapsing onto her lap and weeping like a child. His mind wandered back to those emotionally devastating moments when Nanako was at death's door and Maya was losing her mind in pain and grief. Noto was physically exhausted and holding up through sheer force of will… until help arrived. After they were rescued, and there were others to take the burden of responsibility from him, his strength gave out and it was his sensei that caught him. Unexpectedly, Koigakubo Yuri sensei had been on the airplane that had swooped down out of the sky to save them from venom and madness.

Falling at her feet, his head dropped to her lap and he cried. Tears washed out the grief and fear that he had been holding back for so long, leaving only exhaustion behind. An angel of solace, she simply held him, patted his head, and let him cry all of the pain out. Certainly, it had been no manly display, but there had been no reproof from his sensei. There was no criticism or disappointment either. Indeed, she had been proud of what he had been able to do. Many times, he had wondered what might have happened to him if she had not been there to heal his spirit. She had been there to help him when he needed it most.

And now, the thought of that gentle soul being lambasted by the press, condemned by her coworkers, and nearly dismissed by her employer… it made his blood boil. It was hard to look at news programs or magazines without hearing something about the _uncaring and disgraceful_ acts of the aristocratic entertainer and her elitist friends. Or, so the reporters and pundits would have everyone believe. Those same reporters who had been begging for any little sound-bite, picture, or interview not too long ago.

Considering the madness that was enveloping Tokyo, Noto had made the offer for his former sensei to come out to Tokushima for a while. She could relax at his grandmother's estate and wait for the rest of Japan to calm down from the false accusations and blame frenzy. Yuri-sensei had thanked him for the offer, but she had declined in the end. She told him that her husband and Ryuuji were figuring out what to do, and she would put her trust in them. Noto hoped that her confidence was well placed, but there were lingering doubts. The Major was certainly impressive, but the last time Ryuuji had experienced such a huge setback, he… hadn't handled it all that well.

"Tell me… about the plan. If you don't mind." Noto asked, after everyone had moved into the living room and got comfortable.

"First, I should tell you what we suspect." Hisako began.

.

 **Monday afternoon, April 4** **th** **– Kawashima House in Tokyo**

* * *

The old house phone was ringing as Ryuuji and Ami came through the door.

"Seriously? Who calls us on that old thing?" Ami scoffed.

"Only one person that I know of." Ryuuji said as he walked over to the old style telephone on the little table in the hallway. Picking it up, he said simply, "Hello?"

"Good! You've learned not to identify yourself when you answer the phone." the voice of Ami's uncle said smugly… also not bothering to identify himself.

"Ojisan, I still don't see why that is so important. I doubt anyone in this century even thinks about searching for this kind of phone number." Ryuuji laughed.

"Aieeee, I love it when you call me ojisan!" the old uncle squeale'd, but then chided his nephew-in-law, "Listen, you must never underestimate what reporters can uncover. Or… private detectives for that matter."

"So, you still think this is a smear campaign?" Ryuuji asked.

"I'm sure of it… more than ever. I believe we'll be hearing from someone soon. Probably in the next two to four days… would be my guess." the older man said thoughtfully.

"Someone?" Ryuuji prodded.

"The more I look at how they have gone about this, and who they chose to target… I'm betting it's another talent agency that wants to get their hooks in you." the uncle said.

"Not me." Ryuuji said wistfully.

"What?" Ojisan asked.

"They are going pretty light on Ami. They're not touching Suzume or Aiko-chan at all. But Hisako, and everyone in Ami's entourage is getting hammered with bad press. They just want Ami and the girls. They don't want me or any of the others tagging along." Ryuuji aired his suspicions.

"It could be that they just don't want a bad rap for going after children." Ojisan countered.

"That wouldn't explain why they are going light on Ami." Ryuuji sighed at the inference, then said, "They've already decided who they want and who they don't want. They can see a profit in Ami, Suzume, and Aiko-chan… especially if they get to run them the way they want to. That's why they don't want me."

"Explain." the old man requested.

"If they were pulled out of school, they could perform as idols, singers, actors… An agency could run them hard until their popularity declined and make a lot of money in the short term. But, as you know, I won't let that happen."

"You won't let them make a lot of money?" the uncle asked.

"I won't let them throw away their futures for a brief moment in the spotlight." Ryuuji refuted, "And I never said they would be the ones getting the money. I'm pretty sure the contracts they would be encouraged to sign would make that pretty difficult."

"You think so too?" the uncle's question sounded more like an affirmation.

"Yeah." Ryuuji had taken it personally when he realized that the conspirators didn't want him. But the humiliation didn't last long. Ami helped Ryuuji to realize that, without him in the way, the new management could make the girls do worse things than quit school and run them into the ground with insane performance schedules. Sooner or later, they would be asked to start doing work that they might not be all that comfortable with. The beginnings of depression turned into anger, but even that emotion was warped into cold rage when he saw how they were also targeting Nanako, Hisako, Yuri-sensei, and even his mother. None of the adults that the girls trusted would be there to protect them at this rate.

"You're still okay with the plan?" the uncle asked.

"Yeah. If this is what the world of professional entertainment is like, it can all burn down. There's no way I want to raise our children in that kind of environment." Ryuuji said bitterly.

"It's not always like this… but I won't argue with you." the uncle sighed, "I still think it's a loss for the arts, but if that's what my darling niece and nephew-in-law want… so be it."

"Thank you, Ojisan. I have to go now." Ryuuji sighed as well, "I need to let Aiko-chan's parents know."

"Of course. Give my best to Ami." the uncle said before he hung up.

"He's not fighting this as much as I thought he would." Ami observed from behind Ryuuji.

"Oh hey!" Ryuuji turned around in surprise, "I thought you had gone to look in on the baby."

"He's out with your mother right now." Ami put her hands under her substantial breasts, hefted them and said, "I hope she gets back soon. These things are getting heavy!"

"You could use the pump to express…" Ryuuji started to suggest the little plastic suction device that was in their room.

"Ugh, I hate that thing. It doesn't feel good on my… chest," Ami blushed while she scoffed, "and it cramps up my hand after a while."

"Oh?" Ryuuji smiled when he spotted the package leaning against the wall next to the telephone table. Picking it up, he handed it to her and said, "this may help a bit."

"What's this?" Ami perked up when she saw the package. Even though she was in the middle of a pout, she couldn't help being delighted. The little girl part of her always liked getting presents.

"Just a little something I thought you might need." Ryuuji enjoyed her excitement but was concentrating on finding the phone number for Aiko-chan's parents on his phone. "Why don't you go give it a try while I…"

"Okay!" Ami gave Ryuuji a quick kiss on his cheek and ran off to their bedroom to open the box up. It didn't feel too heavy, but there was sure to be something interesting inside.

.

A half an hour later, Ami had figured it all out. There was a lot more in the shipping box than she had imagined. The cardboard brown box had been host to several brightly printed product boxes that Ryuuji had ordered for her. Two identical battery powered devices were designed to sit inside a bra and would quietly function as a breast pump. To accommodate the additional volume of the pump devices, the shipping box had also included an adjustable bra that was a few sizes larger than what she needed. At first, Ami worried that the bigger bra and the little machines that went inside them would be a pain on her neck and back, but the devices were very light and it really wasn't so bad.

The thing that had upset her, at least at first, was the third device she had found in the box. The same company that made the ingenious wearable breast pumps also made a kegel trainer that wirelessly connected to her cell phone. Miffed that Ryuuji thought she needed kegel exercises in the first place, she was tempted to throw it back in the box. But the booklet that came with it explained that the device would provide a number of health benefits… and she was curious about what the application on her phone would tell her.

In front of the full length mirror, she studied how the larger bra looked on her, but her real focus was to see which muscles might be flexing when she struggled with the kegel device. She tried doing the suggested exercises while standing straight, with her legs parted a bit, and even standing on one leg and holding the other up to her chest. She tried bending to the sides, a low bow to the front, and even squatting. All the while, keeping her eye on her form and on her phone. So, she was understandably distracted with trying to work her muscles in just the right way, while watching her phone display the success of her efforts… or rather, the lack of success. In fact, she was way too distracted to have noticed someone quietly coming into her room.

"Seriously, don't you think those udders of yours are big enough?" Taiga's sarcastic voice hailed from the doorway of the bedroom.

Ami froze. Her face went red with embarrassment. Wondering how long Taiga had been there, she thought about all of the crazy poses she might have been seen in. Tensing up, and yet almost dropping her cell phone, she didn't notice the readout trying to tell her that she was crushing the kegel training device with dangerous levels of force. She turned slowly while her brain battled between wanting to scream at Taiga, or wanting to hide in the closet forever.

"Oh," Taiga said while looking at the empty box she had just picked up, "a breast pump that you wear, huh? I guess that makes sense. My mom always hated hers."

"Y… your mom?" Ami turned away now, not wanting Taiga to see the Kegel device's brightly colored plastic tail running up along her mons.

"Yeah. She had one of those electric breast pumps. It was supposed to be hospital grade, but she said it was extremely unpleasant." Taiga replied while she spotted the matching box that the other unit had come from. But then, she noticed that there was a third box that seemed to be shaped a little differently.

"Ah, you probably came to do your babysitting thing, right?" Ami said hurriedly while quickly ushering her short friend back toward the bedroom door. She had seen Taiga's attention on the box that the kegel trainer had come out of, and tried to distract Taiga from looking any further.

"Sure, but Ya-chan isn't back yet. So…" Taiga knew she was being rushed out of the room and wondered what had been in the third box that could be so embarrassing to Ami. She had seen the brightly colored box clearly, but wasn't familiar with the word on the label.

"Are… are you sure? You should check again, and… and say hi to Ryuuji too." Ami stuttered while trying to cover herself and hurry Taiga away at the same time.

"Whatever, jeez!" Taiga said to the door that had just closed behind her. _I didn't think I made fun of her that bad. She didn't have to get in such a snit just because I saw her in her underwear. Hell, that swimsuit she wore back in high school showed more skin than that big bra. Why did she have to be so… Waitaminit… what if it wasn't about the underwear?_ Taiga fished her phone out of her pocket and flicked to the search screen. Tapping the voice key she asked, "What is a kegel trainer?"

"AAAAAAAAAH!" Ami screamed from the other side of the bedroom door.

Taiga took a step back just as the door flew open to reveal a red faced Ami holding a bathrobe tightly close around her.

"You don't need to ask that question!" Amy yelled, but it was too late.

Taiga was stunned. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open as she read the description and saw the pictures on her phone's display.

.

Takasu Yasuko, the mother of Ryuuji and the honorary onee-chan of most of her son's friends, was still the image of energy and youth. Aside from her prodigious chest, she barely looked old enough to be someone's mother, let alone the grandmother of the eight month old infant in the jogging stroller she was pushing. A few people even assumed that Yasuko and the baby was a high school girl and her infant brother. When people made that mistake, Yasuko was in no rush to correct them.

That youthful appearance didn't come without a price though. She always made sure to get enough sleep and eat right, but it was her insane exercise routine that was mostly responsible for keeping up her body's young, healthy, and sensual looks. Sometimes young men would try and keep up with her. Occasionally, one of the healthier salary-men would make the attempt. All of them hoped to keep up with her pace and distance to impress her at the end of the run. Unfortunately, very few of them ever made it to the end of one of her runs.

On this cool spring day, she decided to cut her run short after the eleventh circuit across the park, through the gardens, around the lake, and past the temple. An older priest waved to her as she turned the bright blue baby buggy toward home.

"Finishing early today, onee-chan?" the priest called out.

"Yeah, Tatsuya is making hungry sounds. So, I guess that's it for today." Yasuko sighed. If it had been a little earlier, she might have considered coming back later and doing a few dozen more circuits of her favorite run.

"If you have a minute, would you like to try our new Omikuji machine?" the priest asked pleasantly.

"I…" Yasuko was about to decline, but she saw the gaudy looking contraption that seemed terribly out of place in a Shinto shrine. With all the chrome and blinking lights, it would have been more at home in an arcade or a bar. "Machine? Are you getting rid of the can with the sticks?"

"Not at all. Well, you see… a young man made this for us. I'm sure he thought it was a splendid gift, but to me... " the old priest's voice trailed off since he didn't want to say anything critical about someone's gift.

"I understand." Yasuko said sympathetically. She decided to humor the priest and try her luck with the silly machine. Normally, one would shake a canister full of sticks, then tilt the can over and pull out a single stick. That stick would have a few characters to indicate one of many small drawers. A paper fortune would be waiting in that drawer for the lucky, or unlucky parishioner. But this contraption was no canister and she didn't see any sticks. "What do I do?"

"It is very simple to operate. You put a hundred yen coin in here," he indicated a coin slot then pointed to a big red button, "when you are ready, you push this button."

"Oh, I see." Yakuso opened the small pouch on the jogging stroller and pulled out a hundred yen coin and placed it in the slot. As soon as she did, the silly thing started ringing bells and making loud whistle sounds in addition to dozens of flashing lights. Not expecting such a raucous reaction, she took a brief step back but also swatted the big red button in hopes that it would shut the machine up.

The fortune-telling machine's noise-makers settled down and a strip of paper was printed from the side of the machine. The priest waited for the printing to stop and ripped it off the machine like a receipt.

Blinking, Yasuko looked at the freshly printed fortune. 'Small Blessing - a lost person waiting thing for found you.' "This… doesn't make sense." Yasuko showed the priest what had been printed.

"No… it looks like it jumbled the small blessing you were supposed to receive. Would you like to try again?" the priest asked.

"No, but thank you for the offer." Yasuko worried that she might make offense by telling the old priest what she thought of the machine but he seemed to be looking forward to the feedback, so she told him, "This thing is a little flashy… for a shrine. At least I think so. I guess, I would just rather shake the silver can and pull the stick out."

"It's fine." the priest smiled. Then conspiratorially, he whispered to her, "I like the old ways too."

Yasuko smiled back and started to head for home. She still had the strange fortune in her hand and thought briefly about tying it to one of the trees to dispel the fortune.

 _Small Blessing - a lost person waiting thing for found you._

She read it again and looked down at little Tatsuya who was fidgeting in his stroller. Putting the fortune in her pocket, she told the infant, "I think I'll keep it after all. Maybe this is about you, huh? You're small and you're a blessing, right!"

With that, Yasuko and the fast moving baby buggy were on their way home.

.

About ten minutes later, Yasuko walked into the house with little Tatsuya in her arms and came face to face with Taiga. The initial shock of suddenly seeing Taiga faded quickly when she remembered that the small girl was supposed to do some babysitting this evening.

"Thank you, Yasuko-san." Taiga said softly as she took the baby from his grandmother. Taiga was on her best behavior in an effort to mend the relationship she used to have with Ryuuji's mother.

Yasuko nodded and turned away to go get cleaned up, but she stopped when her hand came out of her pocket with a crumpled piece of paper. She read the mixed-up fortune paper once more and had a strange thought. _Taiga is small too…_ Yasuko sighed heavily while a worry seemed to shrug off of her shoulders. Still looking at the strip of paper in her hand, she called out, "Taiga… you used to call me Ya-chan."

"Um… yes." Taiga replied hesitantly since she couldn't tell what kind of mood Yasuko was in from her voice. She didn't sound angry, but she didn't sound happy either. Moreover, she just sounded tired.

"You should start calling me Ya-chan again. I… I would like that." Yasuko said.

"Yes! Yes, Ya-chan! Thank you, Ya-chan!" Taiga would have done a fist pump and a little victory dance if she hadn't had little Tatsuya in her arms. Instead, she watched Yasuko walk off to her room then turned to the infant and cooed to him as she trotted off to the nursery, "Did you hear that? I can call her Ya-chan again! So you better get used to calling me obasan… no, I don't like that. Auntie Taiga will do. Yes, you should call me Auntie Taiga. And, no fair dropping the Auntie part when you get bigger than me either. You hear me?"

Taiga felt the presence of someone watching her as she walked down the hall. Just as she went through the door, she chirped, "If you grow up to be a good boy, some day Auntie Taiga will tell you a funny story about mama and her kegel trainer."

"AAAAAAAAAAH!"

Taiga restrained her laughter as the door to the nursery closed on the strangled scream from the hallway.

.

 **Friday afternoon, April 8** **th** **– Tokyo University Student Center**

* * *

Ami and Ryuuji sat alone at a table under the opaque skylights in the impressive Hongo cafeteria. The food was good there, even though Ami actually preferred Ryuuji's cooking. The prices were reasonable, although they could have saved money by bringing their lunch or eating at home. But for other reasons, it was where they had both been having their lunch since the beginning of the semester. Or, more specifically, since Ryuuji had figured out that the attack on them was no accident.

Neither Ryuuji nor Ami were creatures of routine. If they had their way, they would have been having lunch at different places as often as possible. Since it was spring, many of those lunches would likely have been little picnics at the nearby Ueno Onshi Park or the Koishikawa Botanical Gardens. But their college friends had convinced them that this was the best course… for now.

The college had become a kind of bastion against the cruelty of the ongoing media drubbing. It wasn't that there were no televisions at the college. In fact, they were all over the place. But college students pride themselves on trying to think things through, and not getting caught up in zealous condemnations. Sure, there were some students that were disgusted that they were attending the same school as the people that the media spent its time villainizing. But, there were just as many students that wanted to discover the truth on their own. And, once they heard Ryuuji and Ami's story, they were incensed. The journalism students felt the worst. They felt that their chosen profession was being sullied by the ongoing campaign and demanded that they be allowed to do something about it. One of them had even come up with a plan. It was a plan that required a steady routine that neither Ryuuji or Ami particularly enjoyed. But both of them had to admit that it was a pretty good plan.

And today, the plan and their routine seemed to have finally paid off. A man that seemed a little out of place amongst youthfully dressed students, got up from his table in the corner and approached them. Ami didn't act like she noticed, but under the table she gave Ryuuji's leg a squeeze.

"Hello Kawashima-san, my name is Watanabe. I represent the Kuroi Kaisha Talent Agency. May I have a moment of your time?" the man said to Ami as he held out a card.

Ryuuji reached out to take the card but the man snatched it away and said curtly, "I'm sorry, but this conversation is only for Kawashima-san."

"Then you have no-one to talk to." Ami said without looking up at the man, "I am married now. My name is Takasu Ami. The man you just offended is my husband."

"That is regrettable, but my agency firmly believes that it is your husband that has destroyed your career." the suited man sneered.

"Ryuuji!" Ami softly punched Ryuuji in the arm as she asked, "Did you destroy my career?"

"Not that I'm aware of. He must be misinformed." Ryuuji replied in a calming tone.

"Surely you have heard of all the reprehensible things he has done. Not only to you, but to that poor innocent little girl!" the man hissed.

"Which one?" Ami asked indulgently.

"I speak of Aiko-chan. The way he had her perform a song about addictive drug use was…" the man stammered in apparent rage, but Ami cut him off.

"...a mistake. Even our Australian guide said she was unaware of its origins." Ami refuted.

"Even so, the trail of mismanagement of such amazing talent is… inexcusable." the man fumed. He met Ryuuji's stare with a cold glare of his own as he spat, "He is the reason for the terrible reputation that you have now!"

"Oh?" Ami almost replied with Taiga-like anger, but she held her emotions in check for a little longer. Still, she wasn't able to hide it completely.

"I'm sure it is not all his fault." the man allowed, "The agency you work for is small and ineffective. Even if your manager was a complete fool, they should have done something by now. And yet, here you are… still with the same manager, and still being scorned by the entertainment world."

"But the press is the press. They will say what they want to say - regardless of whether it is true or not. What can be done about it?" Ryuuji said while shrugging his shoulders.

"You see! This is why this man is a failure. He can do nothing about it because he is a disaster as a manager." the man took a breath and said more calmly, "A _real_ manager from a _real_ agency could make all of this go away."

"And… you are that man?" Ami actually seemed interested. Her face appeared to light up even as Ryuuji seemed to shrink away.

"I am." Watanabe said proudly, "If you were to work with me and my agency, together we can wipe this unpleasantness away in no time at all!"

"Surely, that would take years." Ami asked, "With all the things they are saying about Hisako…"

"I'm sorry, but Kurosawa isn't part of the deal." Watanabe said quickly, "Your… management has allowed too much damage to your little group. I'm afraid that all we can do is save you, Minami-san, and Aiko-chan."

"But Hisako is part of the harmony for Aiko-chan." Ami said worriedly.

"Don't be concerned about her. She's just damaged goods. We have already arranged a replacement for her." Watanabe said in a way that was meant to assure the young starlet.

Ryuuji could feel Ami's fingernails digging into his thigh and he knew that his wife had reached her limit. Coming out of his background mode, he sat up straight and looked into the man's eyes when he asked, "Doesn't it take a while to find a replacement? How can Ami trust someone who finds a replacement in only a week?"

"Baka! We've been searching for a replacement for nearly a month." Watanabe said contemptuously.

"A month?" Ryuuj's face shifted to a feral smile. It was difficult to keep his voice and emotions in check after the man had just admitted to everything, but he did his best while he asked, "A month ago, we were doing our red carpet walk at the Melbourne Fashion Festival. The earthquake hadn't even happened yet. I'm guessing… right after the earthquake? That was when you came up with this plan, and started your search?"

"Hmmph." Watanabe grunted. This was unexpected, but not worrisome. "So, you're smarter than you look. Figured it all out have you? Well, so what?"

Ami was glaring at the man in the suit, but he was glaring back. The fact that he had been found out didn't seem to bother him at all.

"I hold all the cards and you know it. If you ever want to perform again, you are going to have to deal with _me_. Those little girl's want to perform so badly, don't they. But they'll never see another stage unless they come to _me_." the man sneered.

"That's pretty careless, telling us your sick little plan." Ami said with disgust.

"I have nothing to worry about. With a single call, I could destroy you completely, so you'd better change that attitude of yours - and I mean now!" Pulling out a cell phone, he held it in his hands as if he was about to make a call.

"We could go to the police… or take our story to the media!" Ami said desperately.

"Don't make me laugh. Your reputation is already shit. It would just be your word against mine in a court." the man laughed evilly, then he gave them a knowing sneer while he told them, "And don't bother trying to sell your pathetic little sob story. Even if you try to tell the media, they won't listen to you."

"Because… how? Even media groups that are competitors are all singing your tune. I am honestly impressed that you could do something on that scale." Ryuuji's admiration and questions died then as he challenged, "Frankly, I don't think you can."

"What!" Watanabe demanded.

"I know who you are and… you just aren't that talented, either as a manager or as a schemer. Unless someone at your agency is pulling the strings, there's no way a B-ranked manager like you can pull something like this off." Ryuuji let his face show a little confidence as he went on the offensive.

"Boy, I'll make you eat those words! You're nothing but an upstart amateur that got lucky! I destroy kids like you every day of the week. It'll take you a hundred years to get to my level." Watanabe fumed.

"Oh really?" Ryuuji sounded distinctly unimpressed while pulling out his smartphone and opening up the browser, "Let's just have a look at the last interviewer's write-up of your… _talents_. If I remember correctly, it had phrases like 'washed up' and dead-end' in it."

"Enough!" Watanabe yelled loud enough that many people in the cafeteria turned to see what the commotion was about.

One of the campus police officers noticed the disturbance and started to move toward the table, but another student stopped him to ask a question.

"I don't give a damn what you find on your phone." Watanabe stammered in rage. He had never imagined that the punk husband had read _that_ article. "The point is that I am a big shot manager and I work for a big shot agency. We do what we want and if some little shit is in our way, we have the power and the funds to destroy them."

"I really don't want to work for you… ever." Ami said through clenched teeth.

"Tough shit, sweetie." Watanabe spat. He knew he was in the power position and that was where he loved to be. He cracked the whip and all the little people did whatever he wanted… or they starved. Sure, his company had spent their reserve capital and gone into debt to make this score. But once he had those three girls in his hands, he knew just how to wring profits from them until they were completely used up. He had personally promised the board of directors that the return on investment would be better than tenfold for this little operation. The money grubbing bastards couldn't wait to give him the money he asked for after that. With glee in his eyes he smirked, "The only way you will ever work again, is if you work for me. I've seen to it that you can't even book a sidewalk to perform on unless you sign with my company. It's just a matter of time before you come to me on your knees to save you and your precious friends."

"So, that's how it is?" Ryuuji asked plainly.

"That's how it is." Watanabe replied with disdain even if it did bother him that neither of the two seemed to be showing him the humility and deference that his threats and demands usually produced by now.

"All right then." Ryuuji said as he got up and helped Ami up from the table.

Watanabe thought for a moment that they would finally bow and beg his forgiveness, and started to relish this moment like he always did. The moment when he broke the will of the precious little darling and they realized that they had utterly lost. However, the awaited bow didn't come, and he was shocked to see that they were standing across from him but facing a number of students that had suddenly got up from their tables and were aiming cameras and cell phones at the three of them.

"As you have just heard, I can't work in the industry anymore unless I work for the company that has attacked me and my friends." Ami said in a loud clear voice as she faced the cameras.

"What… what's going on here?" Watanabe demanded.

"Since Kuroi Kaisha Talent Agency was the one responsible for terrible things that have been said about our friends, there is no way that we could stoop to such an arrangement." Ami continued.

"Stop! You can't… you can't do this!" the suited man sputtered but none of the students were listening to him.

"At this time, I would like to announce the retirement of the performance group known as Red Black, and Blue. I have already spoken with the members of the group and they have all decided that, rather than work for Kuroi Kaisha Talent Agency, or… this person, they will all retire individually as well." Ryuuji said his prepared statement and tried desperately not to flub his lines.

"Even Aiko-chan?" one of the female students asked.

"What will they do?" another student asked.

"Aiko-chan's parents weren't fond of her being in this business in the first place, and this experience has greatly soured their perception of the entertainment industry." Ami answered for her husband. She knew how difficult it was for Ryuuji when there was so much attention on him.

"All of the former members of Red Black and Blue, are already involved in work that will benefit their futures. Like us, Suzume-chan and Aiko-chan are diligent students and doing well in their studies." Ryuuji told the assembled students.

"What about Hisako-san? She isn't a student, is she?" one of the male students asked.

"Thank you for asking about my dear friend," Ami answered brightly, "Hisako is studying very hard to return to school as well.

"I… I demand that this recording be destroyed!" Watanabe screamed in rage. He was used to holding all the cards, but something like this could still be dealt with, "I didn't give my permission to be recorded and that makes this recording an illegal act!"

"Old man!" one of the students with a camera yelled back, "You really are a has-been wash-up. This isn't a recording. This is a live stream. Although, it might be recorded by a million different servers somewhere on the internet, no-one in this room is recording anything at all."

"What?" Watanabe gaped at the student and all the little electronic devices aimed at him. Ami and Ryuuji had been sitting under the skylights where the lighting was perfect. Their location also meant that they were surrounded on all sides by other tables… and other students. There was nowhere he could turn that he wouldn't be caught by someone's camera. Turning to Ryuuji in rage, he demanded, "You… you planned this?"

"I knew this would happen sooner or later. But, I can't really take credit for this plan." Ryuuji admitted.

"I swear to all the gods in Japan that the degree you get here will be worthless! You will never work in the entertainment industry again. I'll see to it personally!" Watanabe fumed.

"What a moron!" a taller girl with glasses said while the rest of the students laughed at the man's outrage.

"Excuse me?" Watanabe turned his glare on the girl, demanding an explanation.

"Ryuuji-kun is a _science_ major. He isn't studying for the world of entertainment." the girl explained while the laughter increased at the shocked look on the big-shot talent manager.

"You… you sonofabitch!" Watanabe shouted and hit Ryuuji in the stomach.

Ryuuji collapsed to his knees from the blow. For a moment he fought to get back up and defend himself, but the suited man fled after the cowardly attack. Or, he tried to flee. It seemed that a number of students were intent on tripping him and holding him down until the campus police showed up.

"Are you okay?" Ami said in a whisper while the attention was on the suited man struggling against the handcuffs that had been slapped onto his wrists.

"Yeah," Ryuuji half smiled while trying to catch his breath, "I didn't think he would do that. I guess he really is a sorry manager."

"No… he's about average in the industry." Ami looked into Ryuuji's eyes and gave him an impish smile as she told him, "That's why we'll do just about anything to keep the good ones… even marry them."

"Ha -ouch!" Ryuuji winced at the pain in his gut where he had been hit, "Don't make me laugh right now."

.

 **Monday morning, April 11** **th** **– East Sale RAAF Base  
Victoria, Australia**

* * *

Deena was in shock. This wasn't new though. She had been in shock fairly constantly over the last two weeks. Aside from watching the horrors of what was happening to her friends back in Japan play out, her personal life was on its own out-of-control roller coaster.

The sergeant that had predicted that she was on the short list for officer training, had been spot on… except for the location. Instead of the Military Academy in Canberra, she had been sent to the Officer Training School near the township of Sale. More important to her was that it was closer to Melbourne, where she had been with her friends for a while. But they were gone now, and her life was refusing to go back to normal.

With the unexpected promotion, Deena was pulled away from her job, given her relocation orders, packed up and moved into temporary quarters - all before she had her mind wrapped around what this all meant.

The previous day, when she should have been reading up on what she should expect over her first week at the Officer Training School, all she could do was stare out the window and wonder how all this could have happened. The book that she should have been reading was in her hands, but she never made it past the third page. It still seemed too unreal to her.

"Why me?" was a litany she had asked a hundred times. Anyone else would have been thrilled at the sudden promotion. But those people would have been the sort that would have wanted it too. But Deena wasn't that kind of person. Her life had been at a comfortable place. She liked the role her job had her in. She enjoyed training her peers. She was even getting along well with her commanders. No-one complained about her hobby… interests in Japanese culture and pop personalities. And now this.

"Why me?"

She had considered turning down the offer, but it hadn't come across as an offer at all. They were orders. No options, no arguments, no way out. Well… there was _one_ way out. Deena had the option of resigning from the Air Force, but that just might put her in a deeper state of emotional turmoil.

"Walker, Deena." She told the man with the clipboard, like the previous cadets in front of her had.

"That line over there." he indicated a line where other women were getting their cadet uniforms that they would be using during their training.

"Yes sir." she replied in automatic military form and stepped over into the line. _Standing in line. Well, at least this feels somewhat normal._ Deena took a step forward as the line moved up. Three girls at the front were getting serviced. The one nearest her was getting measured. The next one was receiving her uniform items, and the last one was signing for what she had been given. A moment after the last woman left the tables and headed off for the next in-processing station, the line moved up and Deena took another step forward. Deena remembered something very similar to this when she was a raw recruit going through her basic training. She had been in shock then too - but that was from transitioning to a regimented military life from her carefree civilian life. This time, the shock came from the drastic changes to the nice, orderly military life that she had become accustomed to.

"I just don't think I can take any more surprises." Deena whispered at the back of the girl's head that was in front of her. Or rather, at the top of the girl's head. Her height meant that she could see over most of the girl's in line in front of her and see the process before she got up to the tables. It also meant that she could see three people walking very quickly toward the uniform distribution tables. One of the three was on the short side and was having to jog to keep up with the angry strides of the man in front. And he was _angry_. Even from this distance, Deena could see his face twisted and mottled in seething anger.

As he got closer, she could see that he was a Squadron Leader and was being flanked by two sergeants. Neither of the sergeants looked happy, but the officer… _Oh no. He looks super pissed-off. I'm glad I didn't have anything to do with… whatever it was that got him this mad. Maybe he's going to talk to the people giving out the uniforms? I wonder if they are taking too long?_ Unfortunately, it appeared that the angry man and the two sergeants didn't stop at the tables. They ended up next to the line that Deena was standing in.

"Atten-shun!" one of the sergeants shouted at the line. It was a redundant order since they were already standing at attention. But it did make them aware that they were the ones being addressed. The short sergeant followed the first command up with, "Left face!"

The line of women pivoted to the left and found themselves now facing the angry trio.

"Which one of you is Walker?" the Squadron Leader shouted. He made no effort at hiding the rage in his voice.

Deena and two others stepped forward, but the girl to Deena's left then collapsed on the floor. Whether she had passed out from fear or had been standing with her knees locked, was anyone's guess. The Squadron Leader glared at the unconscious girl. The fact that she passed out like that seemed to make him even angrier. Grabbing the clipboard from one of the sergeants, his eyes scanned for a second before he looked up and shouted at them again.

"Deena Walker!"

The girl to Deena's right stepped back into line while a couple of the other's stepped out of formation to assist the girl on the floor.

"Yes sir!" Deena replied with her own shout. She had no idea why this angry man was looking for her and wondered if it might be some kind of hazing prank. But those thoughts fluttered away when the enraged man slammed the clipboard back into the sergeant's hands and stepped up in front of her. He was so close that their noses almost touched.

"I have a professional and orderly program here! This program works like a well oiled machine, and machines work best when all the parts do their job. You get me, Walker?" the man yelled into Deena's face.

"Yes sir!" Deena happened to agree with that sentiment. That was exactly the kind of message she was giving her peers when she had been training them.

"It all goes to hell when someone decides they're too good to do their part. Too pretty? Too smart!? Too special?" the man practically spat out the words, "Which is it Walker? What is your unique quality that gives you the right to screw with my well oiled machine?"

"Sir?" Deena had no idea what this man was talking about but she could see that her response only made him angrier… if that was possible. Thinking back to her time as a recruit in basic training, she quickly changed her answer, "Sir, this rec… cadet doesn't know what you are referring to. This cadet agrees with the Squadron Leader's assessment. This cadet wants only to do her part."

For a full minute, the officer only glared at her. He watched her face for any sign of deception while Deena tried her best to stay perfectly at 'attention'. Finally, he huffed and said only, "Come with me."

His stride was even faster than before. Deena guessed that it was his way of intimidating people, but her height meant that she had a naturally long gait. The only one that suffered from the officer's harassing tactic was the poor sergeant who was now running to keep up with them.

Fortunately, the fast paced walk wasn't very long. They were soon in an office where a few other people were waiting.

"Any problems?" a Group Captain asked the Squadron Leader when they arrived. A woman in civilian clothes sat in one of the room's few chairs.

"No sir." the Squadron Leader replied. He, the sergeants, and Deena were all standing at attention in front of the senior officer.

"Stand at ease, please." the older officer said as he turned to face Deena.

Deena would like to have been able to relax since this man didn't seem angry, but she always had problems with higher ranking officers and this man was almost a general officer.

"You don't know why you're here, do you Cadet Walker?" the Group Captain asked.

"No sir." Deena replied as if she was still at attention. She knew he had given the order to stand at ease, but for her - it was easier to rely on her military bearing to get her through this… whatever _this_ was.

"This is Faye Stapleton. She is from DFAT." the officer said as he introduced the civilian.

"Yes… sir." _Nooooo, not DFAT again! I really can't deal with those people. Maybe if I explain it to the Group Captain, he'll let me go back to my in-processing…_

"She asked for you personally. And it appears that you have the endorsement of several… rather _senior_ officers. So, I trust you won't disappoint me?" the Group Captain said with raised eyebrow.

Deena's heart sank. She knew that the officer's question was anything but a request. Nor was it a challenge. It was an order, through and through. Still, she replied in the same neutral military tone, "Yes sir."

"Miss… Cadet Walker," the civilian approached with an open laptop. On the screen were Ryuuji and Ami, surrounded by a large number of young adults and one older man that looked both angry and confused. As she keyed the laptop to play the video, she asked, "I assume that you've seen this?"

"Yes ma'am." Deena watched the familiar video. She remembered when she first saw it, only a few days ago. She cheered when she realized Ryuuji had outed the bastard that had been trying to ruin their lives. She was shocked when she heard them announce that they were all giving up their performance careers. And she felt the blow to her own stomach when the coward sucker-punched him before trying to run away.

"You know what they're saying, don't you?" the DFAT woman asked.

"Yes ma'am." Deena replied but her attention was on the screen. Her eyes misted a little when Ryuuji and Ami announced their retirement from the profession that she knew they had enjoyed so much.

"How good is your Japanese?" the Group Captain asked.

"It is… serviceable, sir." Deena gave a humble answer.

"Baka!" the DFAT woman exclaimed, "That is the word, isn't it. It is the word you use when someone says or does something stupid?"

"Yes ma'am." Deena was a bit surprised that this woman would know that, and more surprised that she would say it in front of a senior officer. _Then again, she is a civilian…_

"Devin, she not only knows Japanese at a conversational level, she is fluent enough to understand idioms and cultural references." the woman told the older officer.

"I see. So that's why you wanted her?" the officer asked.

"That is part of it. But, more importantly, she is close friends with the people in this video." Faye Stapleton said as she turned to address Deena rather sternly, "The people in this video are important to DFAT. We counted on Deena Walker to use her connections with them to accomplish a bit of national marketing. We gambled heavily on their popularity helping us to pave the way for Australian businesses to get a foothold in Japan. That popularity is key for us to realize plans that will benefit hundreds of Australian businesses and therefore, Australia as a whole."

"I see." the elder officer said casually. He understood that DFAT existed to further the business interests of his country, but not why their plan was so important that Deena's training should be impacted or that his taxing schedule should be interrupted.

"Tell them, Miss Walker…" the woman said as she slid the video back to where Ryuuji and Ami were making their announcement, "Tell them what they are saying here!"

Deena put out her hand and stopped the woman from playing the disturbing video again. She turned to the Group Captain and said, "Sir, I can translate what they are saying for you, word for word. However, with your permission, I would like to put it in context and summarize it for you."

"Please do." the older officer said with some surprise. Up until now, his impression of young Deena Walker was that of a scared mouse surrounded by hungry hawks.

"When they returned to Japan, the media crucified them for leaving the country to have fun, when the people back home were suffering from the traumatic effects of the earthquake and tsunami. In this video, they reveal the person who was behind the misleading accusations and announce their retirement from the entertainment industry." Deena told him the details as succinctly as she could.

"Did they?" the younger officer asked.

"Sir?" Deena queried.

"Did they vacation here during the crisis?" the Squadron Leader asked.

"No sir. They arrived several days before the earthquake and performed in many relief-aid concerts while they were here." Deena replied.

"Then why…" the DFAT woman started to ask. She didn't realize just how emotional these events had been for Deena and was surprised when she was suddenly interrupted by the young woman that had shown such a steady bearing until now.

"It was a smear campaign. His agency knew what they were doing. They didn't care who they hurt as long as they got their hands on the prize. It was all about money to them. They hurt my friends because of their stupid greed. They hurt them so bad that they gave up on the thing that brought them such happiness." Deena raised her hand to wipe away the wetness around her eyes, then went back to 'attention' as she ended her passionate statement, "It's just not fair… sir."

"No, it's not fair." the DFAT woman said as she closed her laptop. "I know you'd like to do something about it, but you are in the Australian military and they are Japanese citizens… so other than your friendship, it has nothing to do with you."

"No ma'am." Deena's face flushed with anger at the insinuation she thought the DFAT woman was making, but she soon found out that she was completely mistaken.

"However, as I said, those were the people we had chosen to represent our nation, our products, and our pride - to the rest of Japan. So, you might say, when they smeared your friends, they messed with Australia." the DFAT woman's voice was starting to sound as angry as the Squad Leader had been.

"They are _our_ representatives. We _need_ them to reclaim their presence on the Japanese stage. Their retirement is _not_ acceptable. Not acceptable at all! Do you understand me, Cadet Walker?" the civilian woman was starting to sound even more like a drill sergeant and Deena reflexively stiffened her posture.

"Yes ma'am!" Deena replied.

"Tell her… what she is about to go through." the senior officer said to his junior.

"Walker, I am about to put you through hell." the Squadron Leader said sternly, although his voice seemed to have lost most of the anger from their initial meeting. "You are going to finish six weeks of officer training in six days. That's all the time you have before DFAT sends you to Japan to protect our national interests."

"And Walker?" the Squadron Leader hissed, " If you succeed in both of these tasks, I might give you a medal. But if you fail either of us, it's a shovel I'll be giving you."

"Yes sir!" Deena swallowed in fright. She understood the shovel reference. She would need it to dig her own grave if she failed.

.

* * *

.

 **Glossary**

 **Canberra** : located in the south-east of the country, it is the capital city of Australia, and the home of the Royal Military College. However, it is not the home of the Royal Australian Air Force's Officer Training School.

 **DFAT** : Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

 **Genkan** : The entry area in a Japanese house where shoes are removed before entering.

 **Obāsama** : a more respectful version of Obāsan. Both of them mean 'grandmother'

 **Omikuji** : The fortune telling papers that are usually found at Japanese shrines. The positive fortunes are kept and the negative fortunes, or curses, are tied to tree branches or wire fences to dispel them.


	15. Chapter 15 - The Return of DudeMan

**Monday early afternoon, April 18th – Southern Cross Drive  
Sydney, Australia**

* * *

Deena was uncomfortable with… everything. Her uniform was similar to what she used to wear, but she now sported the single thin line of the lowest ranked officer, instead of the thick chevrons of the sergeant that she used to be. But that wasn't the end of her discomfort. She was riding in a limousine… well, it wasn't one of those ridiculously stretched limos with a bar, a dance floor, and a hot tub – but it was a helluvalot nicer than any taxi she had ever been in, and it was driven by a chauffeur.

At least, Deena _thought_ he was a chauffeur. He wore a very chauffeur-like suit and a chauffeur-like hat. He opened the door for for her when she got in and replied with _yes mum_ or _no mum_. It wasn't like she was asking him any questions, but that didn't matter. The fact that a girl like her was in such a nice car was scaring her, and the elegant man that drove the car and answered so politely only made her feel even more out of place.

But the majority of her discomfort came from the person that the chauffeur was responding so politely to. The person who was already in the car when she got in at the airport. The person who was sitting next to her now and chatting so casually… Faye Stapleton from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – or DFAT.

The first time Deena had met the woman had been in the Squadron Leader's office and in the presence of the Group Captain. Always nervous around senior officers, she had been almost petrified in front of the man. But the Squadron Leader had set her straight about who the most important person in the room had been. She still remembered his parting words before she left the training facility at East Sale.

" _Ya did good Walker. I know it was tough… I made sure it was, but you persevered Walker. Ya done good. If there was one thing I'd say ya need to work on, it'd be the way you clam up around senior officers. I remember how you were like a little mouse in front of the Group Captain… but ya'd better get over that… and fast. And just in case ya think ya won't havta deal with it for a while, ya should know this: civilians working in government have ranks that equate to military ranks, ya know. Remember that lady from DFAT that called the Group Captain by his first name? She did that for two reasons. She's the little sister of the Group Captain but more importantly, she holds the civilian equivalent rank of a General. You should keep that in mind before ya shoot your mouth off at her."_

That conversation was playing itself back in her mind over and over. Remembering the Squadron Leader's instructions, and knowing that the short woman next to her in the limo was at the level of a General – made it very difficult to ask why she was being taken _away_ from the airport when she was supposed to be heading for Japan. Instead, Deena tried her best to answer any questions quickly and firmly, and to rely on her military bearing to get her through this ordeal.

But Faye Stapleton didn't get to the position she was in without being able to read the people around her. Little brother Devin had given her a dossier on the young lady, but she didn't need it to know that the poor girl was scared to pieces.

"Deena, this is not going to work if you stay uptight." Faye scoffed.

"Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am." Deena replied stiffly.

"That's what I'm talking about." Faye sounded worried, "I knew you were nervous around senior officers, but why are you like this with me? I'm not in the military."

"Ma'am, your civilian rank equates to a General in the military." Deena explained.

"It does?" Faye blinked, then asked, "Just a moment. How do you know that? Civilian's don't wear their pay grade or position on their sleeves like you military types. How do you know what my rank is?"

"The Squadron Leader did not reveal any specifics about your personal information, but he did tell me that your rank equates to a General."

"That prissy little shit." Faye hissed.

"Ma'am?" Deena was surprised by the lady's reaction. She had heard the DFAT director get upset back in the Squadron Leader's office, but she had not heard her use any foul language before.

"Listen to me Deena," Faye grabbed Deena by the shoulders and shook her to make sure the younger woman was really listening to what she had to say, "I don't want this… rank reverence. I don't need it and it will only cause problems. I need you to talk to me like you talk to your Japanese friends. I want you to call me Faye and I will call you Deena. Can you do that?"

"Yes ma'am!" Deena replied automatically.

"Yes ma'am?" Faye looked at Deena incredulously, "Did you not listen to anything I just said?"

"I'm sorry ma…" Deena could see how she was letting the lady down and decided to be honest with her, "I can't do what you ask… while I'm wearing my uniform. I just… can't. Let me change into my civilian clothes and I… I promise to do my best to do just like you want."

"All right." Faye backed away from Deena and considered the young woman's offer. Turning to the driver, she asked, "Charles, how much time do we have until the meeting?"

"A little over three hours, mum." the driver replied after a moment.

"Excellent, take us to the Queen Victoria Building." Faye said happily.

"Mum, may I suggest Veronika Maine, instead." the chauffeur asked.

"Oh? Is there a problem with the Queen Victoria Building, Charles?" Faye asked.

"No mum. I agree that it is a truly splendid place." Charles replied diplomatically, "It is, unfortunately, so remarkable that you have never been able to spend only three hours there."

"Charles…" Faye started to argue.

"Not even once, mum." Charles insisted.

"Charles!" Faye sounded a little angry this time.

"And, there is no way you would make it in only three hours if you had an attractive young woman along as your dress-up doll." Charles added.

"Charles!" Faye squeaked. The embarrassment colored her face a bit from what Charles said, but even more when she admitted to herself just how much she wanted to see this tall girl in her drab military uniform dressed up in some fashionable clothes that could properly show off her attractive side.

"..." Faye fumed for a moment, but the chauffeur was right. Her pout turned into a sigh and she acquiesced to his suggestion, "Very well, Charles. Veronika Maine it is."

"What… are we doing, ma'am?" Deena asked with growing trepidation.

"Well, you said it yourself," Faye shrugged her shoulders as if it were now a matter of fate, "You can't relax around me when you're in uniform, so we'll just have to get you into civilian attire."

"But… I have clothes in my baggage. There's no need to go shopping." Deena tried to keep the fear out of her voice, but it was difficult. All of her shopping experiences with DFAT people had been… terrifying.

"Nonsense." Faye dismissed the idea, "Your luggage must be packed with spring fashions since you are heading for Japan, but it is autumn here in Australia, so we must get you into something appropriate."

"Yes ma'am." Deena reluctantly agreed. She had to admit that Faye was right. Although the Japanese friends she had were involved in fashion, she wasn't even close to being a fashionista. But with the small amount of fashion sense she had picked up from her friends, she knew that the color choices of the clothes she had picked out were not 'fall' colors. _Of course, if I'm heading for the Northern Hemisphere, I wouldn't need any fall clothes… or rather, I shouldn't. Why do I need to wear fashionable a_ _utumn_ _clothes_ _for a trip to Japan in the sp_ _ring_ _?_ _What's going on?_

.

 **Monday afternoon, April 18th – Kawashima House in Tokyo**

* * *

Taiga and Minori were relaxing in the nursery while little Tatsuya was draining one of the bottles Taiga had fetched from the small refrigerator. Ami and Ryuuji had left shortly after they got there and Yasuko hadn't come back from her exercise run yet, so the girls had the house to themselves.

"He sure is getting big." Minori commented. She could see Taiga struggling to keep the eight month old baby properly supported and was itching to use that as an excuse to get to hold him for a while.

"Of course he's big," Taiga said testily, "both of his parents are mutant giants."

"You think he'll grow up to be as big as Ryuuji?" Minori wondered.

"I hope he's even bigger!" Taiga got a wild look in her eyes and her voice had that evil villain sound as she encouraged the baby she was feeding, "Yes my minion! Grow to be huge and surpass both your unsuspecting parents. Show them what it's like when the little ones become bigger than them! Make them feel _small and insignificant_!"

Tatsuya stopped suckling on the bottle's nipple and started laughing. He always laughed whenever Taiga made her funny voice.

"I'm glad he has a good sense of humor." Minori said with relief.

"What do you mean?" Taiga said while trying to get the baby interested in the bottle again.

"Most babies would cry if you started sounding maniacal like that." Minori said.

"Huh, when was I sounding maniacal?" Taiga asked innocently.

"Taiga..." Minori said with an exasperated frown. Having known Taiga for as long as she did, Minori was not impressed with the innocent act.

"Anyways…" Taiga skirted her friend's comments and asked, "Do you have any plans for Golden Week? I mean… you're always going off to baseball camp, but I thought I'd ask."

"Actually, baseball camp will only be the first two days. There's more crowding than usual at all the facilities this year." Minori didn't have to mention why this year was so different. As usual, the earthquake and tsunami from March were the causes of the problems. But, since they were also the causes of the scandal issues for Ryuuji and Ami, it was something that both of the girls felt uncomfortable talking about in their house. "Why do you ask?"

"Noto-kun's grandmother invited us to spend the break at her place in Tokushima." Taiga told her friend.

"Really!" Minori's eyes lit up at hearing the offer. She had enjoyed her time there and looked forward to another visit. Noticing the very happy look on Taiga's face, she knew that her short friend really wanted to go. "I think she likes you."

"Huh?" Taiga asked while putting the bottle down and reaching for a cloth to clean up little Tatsuya's cheeks.

"Obāsama Hisamitsu, obviously." Minori laughed, "Seriously, if you were an orphan I'm pretty sure she would adopt you."

"Yeah… I don't get it though." Taiga was charmed with little Tatsuya who was grabbing at her fingers while she cleaned him up – and yet, feeling melancholic at the same time. "I figured she would be done with me by now. Most people don't like me any more after they get to know me."

"I do." Minori objected.

"That's because you're a special case." Taiga threw the cleaning cloth at Minori and smiled for a moment. But the moment didn't last, "Sooner or later she'll just tolerate me… like Ya-chan does."

"Huh? I thought things were better with Yasuko?" Minori asked.

"She told me that I could call her Ya-chan again… like I used to. But that was two weeks ago. At the time, I really thought I was finally starting to win her over. But nothing else has changed and… I feel like I've already lost."

Minori was about to tell her friend not to give up hope, but a voice from the doorway surprised both of them.

"She likes you because you remind her of herself when she was young." Yasuko was still wearing the sweats from her run. She had a towel around her neck and it was evident to the two athletic girls that she had just finished an intense workout. As usual, she didn't look all that worn out from the exertion. So, the pained expression on her face was from something other than physical fatigue.

"Ya-chan?" Taiga gasped in surprise and worried about how much of their conversation Yasuko had overheard.

"She is a nice person, and smart too." Yasuko smiled a little as she remembered the fun she had at the Hisamitsu estate. But she also remembered the conversations with the old matriarch and warned the two girls, "If you accept her invitation, you should watch out… both of you."

"Huh?" Taiga and Minori were both surprised to hear Yasuko warn them about such a nice old lady.

"She is a wonderful person, but her family is always first with her. So, don't be surprised if a visit also includes an omiai with some of her available male family members." Yasuko said airily.

"Ah! We're not even out of college yet!" Minori wailed.

"I don't think either of us are ready to get married or raise kids yet. Besides, who would want a person like me in their family?" Taiga laughed.

"I did." Yasuko replied sadly. She saw the girls' shocked reactions and smiled weakly. Summoning the energy she had left, Yasuko pulled herself out of the doorway and headed to her room to get cleaned up and changed.

Taiga thought over Yasuko's response and wondered what it might have meant.

 _I did._

It was certainly true that Yasuko had been even younger than Taiga when she had taken on the responsibility of being a mother all by herself. But there was another possible meaning… _Could she have meant that she wanted me to become a part of her family? I know she had accepted me, but was it something she had really wanted? No… no way._

.

Yasuko went into her room and closed the door. She wanted to get cleaned up but there was something else that drew her over to the little desk that faced the tall window in her room. She opened the drawer and looked down at the precious pictures.

Her hand reached down to the picture of little Tatsuya. He was already so much bigger than when that picture was taken. "I need a new shot of you, little one."

'Gazing at the pictures' wasn't what had drawn her here though. There was a little slip of paper that she had laid down next to Tatsuya's photo. She had thought it might have had meaning for Tatsuya, but now she had to reconsider. Taiga's recent words played back in her mind.

 _She told me that I could call her Ya-chan again… like I used to._

Yasuko remembered the moment. She had been wanting to close the distance with Taiga for a while and yet… it had been very hard for her to say even that much.

 _At the time, I really thought I was finally starting to win her over. But nothing else has changed…_

Yasuko kept the slip of paper but set Tatsuya's picture back down in the drawer. Picking up the old picture of Taiga in her High School uniform, she remembered the last comment that had caused Yasuko's mind to start wandering down this path of thoughts and memories.

 _I feel like I've already lost._

Then, she unfolded the slip of paper and looked at the odd fortune that the silly machine at the shrine had given her.

 _Small Blessing - a lost person waiting thing for found you._

In the picture, Taiga's face wasn't pretty. She had been flashing her characteristic scowl when the photo was taken. But it was something that seemed to capture the short girl's essence more than a fake smile ever would.

Yasuko knew what she wanted… but she was afraid. She wanted to be close to Taiga again, see her smile again, and feel that warmth again. The kind of warm feeling one has when they are relaxed in the company of familiar people. Yasuko never had a sister or a daughter… but having Taiga near had been that kind of feeling, and she wanted it back.

But she was afraid. Betrayal had been something she could get over. The man she had been hopelessly in love with – had run off with another girl as soon as she was pregnant. Her parents hadn't supported her at all when she had counted on them the most. Through the years, she had been let down by her employers, Ryuuji's teachers, and busybody neighbors. But Taiga had done much worse to her than any of them.

Her hands trembled and tears came to her eyes while she looked at the picture in her hands. Taiga's picture from those wonderful days when Ryuuji was finally able to make lots of friends. It was a time that she had wished would never end. And it was just before the time when Taiga's thoughtlessness had almost… killed her son.

As always, anger over what had been done and fear that it could happen again, warred with her desire to welcome Taiga back into her heart. She blinked away the tears in her eyes and read the fortune once again.

 _Small Blessing - a lost person waiting thing for found you._

"Oh Taiga," Yasuko sobbed softly in her lonely room, "are you a lost person? Are you waiting for me to find you?"

Her eyes glanced down at the picture of Ryuuji and Ami in their wedding Kimono's. He was happy and healthy in that picture, but she could remember how he had been. Less than a year before that, he was hollow and dying. She hadn't kept any pictures from that time, but she didn't need them. The horrors from back then were engraved into her memory… whether she wanted those images or not.

Her gaze shifted back to the picture in her hand and a new stream of tears blurred the picture of Taiga. "Why?" she asked as she wiped her tears on her sleeve. At a rational level, she knew that Taiga hadn't intentionally hurt her Ryu-chan. Indeed, Yasuko was sure that if anyone had been able to get word to Taiga back then, she would have come running to Ryuuji's rescue. But they hadn't, and she didn't.

"Taiga, I'm so sorry." Yasuko saw that some of her tears had fallen onto the photo in her hand. She held it to her chest to blot the tears away onto her blouse. Then she looked at the photo once more before she returned it to the drawer.

"I want to find you. I really do," Yasuko said to the picture looking up at her from the drawer, "but… I can't yet. I can't help it… I'm still scared of you."

 _Small Blessing - a lost person waiting thing for found you._

Yasuko folded up the fortune slip and put it with Taiga's picture this time. "If you're waiting for me, please try to wait a little longer. Maybe… maybe I'll be better tomorrow."

.

 **Sunday evening, April 17th – California: University Student Lounge**

* * *

At the same time that Deena was finishing her shopping with the DFAT executive and Yasuko was struggling with her feelings for Taiga, on the other side of the Pacific Ocean it was the evening of the previous day. Kitamura and Sumire were at a table in the student center with several friends. They had been studying for a while, but they were all taking a break to look out the windows at the beautiful colors of the sunset.

The big windows of the student center faced East where they were seated, so they weren't looking directly into the final rays of sunlight. Instead, they could see the vibrant colors of the Pacific sunset reflected in somber hues of red, gold, and blue across the white plaster walls of the Spanish style buildings of the sprawling university campus. The distant dark sky behind the brilliantly lit buildings were cloud free and provided a startling contrast of dark blue and black.

Typical of someone driven to become an astronaut, Sumire was trying to see past the illuminated foreground to catch the first stars that would appear in the night sky. But she wasn't the only one that wasn't watching the light show.

"Hey, your friends are on the news again." another student at the table called out.

"What's going on?" another friend asked while Kitamura and Sumire both turned to face the wall mounted monitors.

"Old news." Sumire said with a little disgust in her voice. "They are talking about the group's decision to give up on the entertainment industry. They're not coming right out and saying it, but they are insinuating that it is a cowardly decision on their part."

"Cowardly?"

"Yes." Kitamura replied, "Persevering, even in a hopeless situation, is what is expected in Japanese culture. Anything else is just… cowardice."

"Do you think so too?"

"Not at all." Kitamura replied instantly. Despite the critical look he got from Sumire, he continued on, "Ryuuji is fully aware of the situation. He knows how the entertainment culture can eat up young talent, rob them of any other future by insisting that they focus solely on their craft, and then spitting them out when their popularity falls. From the beginning, he has insisted that they stay in school and continue to develop their other interests."

Sumire felt conflicted. She too thought that it was cowardly of them to just give up on their careers – especially when it looked like their fight against the industry had been won. On the other hand, she also felt very strongly that giving up on their education was totally unacceptable.

"I bet they're all crushed. From those video's we saw of them in Australia, it looked like they were really having fun."

"They might be sad, but it doesn't look like they are letting it get to them too much." Kitamura pulled out an envelope from his backpack, "In fact, Sumire and I have been invited to come to a reunion party during the summer break."

"What?" Sumire reacted with shock. This was the first she had heard of it.

"Haven't you received your invitation?" Kitamura asked her, "Ryuuji said he sent ours at the same time."

"I… haven't checked my mail recently." Sumire lied. As usual though, she didn't get away with it.

"You forgot your combination again, didn't you?" Kitamura asked with a knowing glance.

"NO… yes." Sumire pouted that her tendency to be forgetful was exposed yet again.

"I'll take you to the post office to get your mail tomorrow morning." Kitamura promised.

"Are you going?"

"When is it?" another friend asked. Kitamura had already told them that it would be during the summer break, but that was why the question was asked. Unlike the collegiate summer break in Japan that goes from the end of July to the first week of September, the summer break at the American university where they were attending would start around the middle of June and last all the way to the third week of September. It seemed like a terribly long break, but the university did offer several classes during that summer session.

"It's in early August." Kitamura said gently. He knew that Sumire had wanted to plow through a number of classes over the summer and there wouldn't be any way to do that if they took a week off to visit their homeland.

"Does that mean you won't be taking the summer classes?"

Kitamura was about to respond that he and Sumire would have to talk about that, but Sumire replied with an unexpected answer to their friends.

"Right! No classes this summer for us." Sumire said firmly.

"Are you sure?" Kitamura asked. He was aware of how strongly Sumire wanted to quickly finish her college so she could begin her astronaut training. This deviation to their plans would set them both back several semester hours and he didn't want Sumire to have any regrets.

"Absolutely!" Sumire said with determination, "We've been going at it hard for a while and I think it's a good idea that we take a break."

"It looks like it's decided then." Kitamura smiled, "I'll let Ryuuji know that we'll both be there."

.

 **Monday late afternoon, April 18th – Government House  
Sydney, Australia**

* * *

The old Gothic Revival building with it's battlements, arches, and turrets would have looked at home in Europe. But it didn't look entirely out of place amidst the foliage and fountains of Sydney's Royal Botanical Gardens. The modern skyscrapers that towered over it in the background seemed a bit odd at first, but the with the incomparably artistic and unique Sydney Opera House bracketing it on the other side, an atmosphere was established that was distinctively Australian.

Deena only had a few moments to enjoy such an ambiance before she was whisked past construction barriers and security cordons to an ornate room with high ceilings and a stage at one end. A few folding chairs were set up in the middle of the room, but there was no other furniture.

"Please excuse the mess," the guide who was escorting Deena and Faye to the room explained, "work continues in preparation for the Governor to move back into the house later this year."

Deena didn't know that the governor was supposed to live there in the first place, but she didn't ask any questions that might make her look ignorant.

"That's not a problem," Faye replied but her smile faded a bit when she looked at the number of chairs that had been set up, "haven't our guests arrived?"

"They have. They should be here presently." the attendant answered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must see to some restoration progress on the Western terrace."

"Of course." Faye waited until the man was out of the room before turning to Deena and speaking quietly, "The governor hasn't lived in this building since the late nineties."

"Why not?" Deena replied in a whisper, "It seems like a grand place."

"Politics," Faye answered with a frown, "at the time, they thought it was too ostentatious and that the governor should be in a more mundane place so that he could be closer to the people."

"I see." Deena did think the place was incredibly pretentious, but there were more important matters at hand, "Ma'am, could you tell me now why we are here?"

Faye just glared at Deena. She made a point of also looking at the elegant new dress that Deena was wearing.

"Faye…" Deena gave in, "why are we here?"

"Lovely!" Faye brightened right up and revealed her plan, "After all the controversy since the tsunami, a number of people want to just cut our losses and move on. So, we are going to try and persuade them that the current plan to increase our fashion trade with Japan is still a good idea."

"Unh." Deena groaned and felt a little light-headed. She would have to be charming, diplomatic, and convincing… none of which were characteristics that she felt she was any good at.

"Do you not believe in the plan any more?" Faye asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't believe that I can be much help at convincing a bunch of powerful people to do something they've already decided against." Deena replied.

"I won't ask you to do that." Faye winked and told her, "When the time comes, all I want you to do is tell them about your friends. Just like the things you told me, I want you to tell them what happened to them when they returned to Japan, and what kind of people they are. Can you do that?"

"Yes ma'am." Deena did feel that she could do that much.

The elder diplomat scowled at Deena's reply.

"Yes _Faye_ , I can do that." Deena tried again.

"Good!" Faye sounded thrilled, "I'm sure this will work."

.

Two hours later and Deena wasn't so sure that any of this would work. The people in the room were other government officials, owners and leaders of many textile companies, big name designers, and investors. Some of them seemed to be swayed by Faye's promises and Deena's explanations.

Faye was more concerned that several of the important people that should have been there had not attended as promised. She had been counting on their support and was disheartened at their absence. So now, she was starting to doubt…

 _Clang!_ The big door opened and a solitary figure strode into the room. He was wearing a suit that seemed to be made of stiff silk angles. It was hard to describe what color the suit was. At the core, it looked black, but a shimmer of different colors rippled across the surfaces where the rooms lights struck it.

"Hellivin." one of the other people in the room whispered. But Deena didn't need the reminder. She remembered him from the first day of the fashion show when he dressed Ryuuji up in that amazing outfit.

"G'day Faye." Hellivin said as he approached the group. He didn't bother greeting anyone else, but he did cast a glance over at Deena. "I won take up too much o'yer time, but I gots a question or two for Deena, if ya don mind."

Deena swallowed hard as everyone in the room turned to look at her then.

"Please do." Faye gestured for him to proceed.

"Ello Deena. Ya been allright?" Hellivin asked as if they were old friends.

"Fine thanks, and you?" Deena barely remembered how to reply, but the odd man's casual mannerism was helping to calm her down a little so she appreciated that.

"Do ya think ya can do it?" Hellivin was obviously done with the chitchat and cut to the real issue, "Do ya think ya can talk m'boy Ryuuji into getting back into the ring?"

"If it was just Ryuuji, he never would have left the ring. But he's worried about what the entertainment environment might do to the younger ones." Deena reacted to Hellivin's implication that Ryuuji might be afraid.

"Oi, I figured as much! That boy's like a mother hen to those sheilas, ain't he?" Hellivin laughed.

"Yeah, I guess he really is." Deena agreed.

"You too, eh Deena?" Hellivin now looked at Deena in a way that let her know that he could tell if she tried to lie to him, "You're bigger and older than him, but he protects you like you wuz his little sister too, don he?"

"Yes," Deena blushed a little to admit it, but everything the avant-garde designer said was true.

"So, can ya do it?" Hellivin looked very serious now, "Can ya convince the boy that thinks he's your big brother… can you talk him into puttin his little girls in danger again? Can ya do that?"

"Ryuuji is smart. I'd never convince him to do something he knows is wrong." Deena replied, "But he's also compassionate. He knows how much the others enjoyed what they were doing. He remembers how much fun all of them had when they were here. So, half of my job is already done."

"An hows that?" Hellivin asked.

"Ryuuji is the key. His confidence is okay, but his belief in the entertainment industry has been shaken so he's worried about the younger girls. And there is nothing wrong with that." Deena defended Ryuuji's decisions while she explained her position to Hellivin and, by extension, to the rest of the room, "For all the amazing things he's done, he still doesn't have a lot of experience as a manager. All of these malicious attacks and the abusive public reaction, have made him forget that the girls never were in danger… well, they were never in _serious_ danger while he was in charge."

"Can ya really say that though?" Hellivin asked, "I've read up on those friends of yours. Kawashima was terrorized by a stalker and that Kurosawa girl had death threats against her. And, all of that happened _before_ this dipstick's smear campaign. Mebbe Ryuuji has the right of it, to pull the girls out of danger."

"Is that true?" Faye interjected. She hadn't heard any of that before.

"Yes m… Faye." Deena struggled to _not_ call the older woman by an honorific in such a tense situation, but she needed to defend her friends so she pushed through, "But what I said was true too. Both of those things happened before Ryuuji was managing them. Kurosawa Hisako admits that she made some seriously bad decisions back then. In a way, she was asking for that kind of response. Unfortunately, her agent at the time just let her spiral out of control."

Hellivin eyed Deena carefully. He could see that the DFAT lady was a little surprised at the depth of the young woman's answer and decided to ask, "Did you figure that out on your own?"

"No," Deena admitted, "I've been corresponding with Ami and Hisako. They shared things with me that weren't in any of the interviews. Even now, they regret giving up on their performing careers but not enough to want to go back into it with a manager other than Ryuuji. That's why I think… I have a chance at getting them to start performing again."

"So then, what will you do?" Hellivin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hopefully, all I have to do is remind Ryuuji of what he has forgotten. If I can get him to be their manager again, I think…" Deena paused as she realized how much she wanted to see her friends up on stage again. Then she took a deep breath and finished more forcefully, "I'm _sure_ the girls would come back in an instant."

"Good enough." Hellivin then held up a second finger and asked, "Could ya get Ryuuji to model for me again?"

"No." Deena laughed at the unexpected question, "But… I could ask Ami to get Ryuuji to model for you again."

"You really are a clever girl. Sneaky too. I like it." Hellivin then threw up a third finger and asked, "Would ya be okay with me comin with ya? I know the DFAT people don want any surprises, so I'll tell ya right now; I got two things on my agenda. I want m'boy Ryuuji to model for me again and I want to meet with Nanako-chan for some idea-sharin."

"Um…" Deena turned to Faye and saw her nod her head in approval, "Y...yes. I can make that happen."

"That's all I needed to know." Hellivin turned and walked back toward the door he had come through just a few minutes before and announced, "I'm in."

Even before the extravagant designer made it through the door, the room exploded. There were no longer any arguments about abandoning the plan. Faye suddenly had to fend off attacks and allegations that she was giving Hellivin preferential access. It wasn't the _cordial agreement with professionals_ that Faye had been hoping for, but she wasn't a fan of confrontation either. For a moment, she wondered if Deena would flee from this cacophony of angst and drama that Hellivin had whipped up, but the freshly minted RAAF Officer stood her ground.

For her part, and despite Faye's favorable impression, Deena didn't know what to do. All at once, everyone started yelling, insisting on answers and making demands. While little of the angry conversation seemed to be directed at her, she felt that she was somehow to blame for it. As such, she knew that her military superiors would give her a royal basting if the DFAT lady blamed her for this mess. So, she moved in behind Faye and did what she could.

She stood her ground.

She held the line.

She outlasted the civilians that outnumbered her.

"Deena," an exhausted Faye said after the last of them finally left, "you did good."

"Thanks." Deena put a hand on the older woman's shoulder and confessed, "I don't think I would have had the courage if your friend Hellivin hadn't showed up when he did."

"Never met him." Faye put her hand on Deena's and admitted, "Before tonight, I'd only ever seen his dossier."

"What?" Deena was stunned.

"In fact… he never replied that he would come to this meeting." Faye was oblivious to Deena's shock while she pondered what had just happened, "What a strange man."

"Indeed." was all Deena could say. She couldn't tell whether the thought of working with this strange man was making her feel uneasy or excited… or both.

.

 **Tuesday morning, April 19th – Sydney Airport, International Terminal  
Sydney, Australia**

* * *

Deena arrived at the airport with plenty of time. Per Faye's instructions, she was wearing comfortable travel clothes, and not her military uniform. After all, the eight thousand kilometer flight would take a while and there was no point in suffering for the next thirteen hours. Deena had to admit that the DFAT lady had a point, even if it was against military protocol. Then again, she was on loan to a civilian department, so… following their guidelines should be okay, right? This is what she was thinking through, when she noticed two men that seemed to stand out from the rest of the travelers.

One was wearing a neo-gothic style trenchcoat. It was open in the front to reveal a black leather vest over a dark maroon shirt. The other man wore a military steampunk style coat that reminded her vaguely of an anime character. They weren't entering the terminal. Rather, it looked like they were waiting for someone. Both of the men looked tall because of how lean they were, but she noticed that they weren't as tall as her when she got close to them. A few people were taking pictures of them.

"What're you lookin at?" the trench-coat asked. Although he was wearing attention grabbing clothes, it seemed that he was tired of being gawked at.

"Something tells me that you're waiting for me." Deena replied.

"Neh," the trench-coat replied as his eyes moved up and down her tall body. "Yer close, but you ain't it."

"Let me guess… you're looking for a military uniform." Deena said casually, "An RAAF Officer, maybe?"

Both the trench-coat and the steampunk turned to give her another look then. Trench-coat asked, "Maybe. Whatch're name then?"

"Tell me who sent you and I'll tell you my name." Deena countered.

"Hellivin." steampunk said.

"Deena Walker. I'm not in my military uniform because I'm on loan to DFAT now. What is your business with me?" Deena asked curiously.

"Your plane tickets have been canceled. Mr. Hellivin would like you to fly with him." trench-coat told her.

"Now just a minute…" Deena started to argue.

"Please don't be upset," steampunk actually sounded apologetic, "the tickets getting canceled was a mistake. My mistake, actually. I was just trying to tell some government flunky that Mr. Hellivin had room on his plane for you and we wanted to invite you to join him. Unfortunately, the silly dipstick said regulations prevented him from giving us your contact information, but he canceled your reservation since you had other transportation."

"That… does sound believable." Deena hated to admit it but… "You said, 'his plane' right? Mr. Hellivin has a plane?"

"That he does, mate." steampunk said with a gleam in his eye, "A right nice one too."

"Well then, let's go see Mr. Hellivin's nice plane." Deena smiled and followed the men to a different terminal.

.

 **Tuesday night, April 19th – Kawashima residence**

* * *

The temperature had dropped in the early afternoon from the warmth that had started the day. It wasn't bitterly cold, but it was colder than either Ryuuji or Ami had planned for. To make matters worse, their last class had let out late and it was now dark as well as cold. Their only luck was that the wind had died down.

"Brrr, why didn't you listen to the weather report this morning?" Ami complained.

"I did, and they didn't say anything about this." Ryuuji replied testily.

"Sorry." Ami realized that she was snapping at Ryuuji unfairly. She apologized by explaining, "These udders are making me real uncomfortable right now."

"Oh, I'm sorry too." Ryuuji said as he slowed down his gate, "I've been walking faster, thinking it would keep us warm. But that's just making it harder for you, isn't it?"

"I…" Ami was about to say that hurrying was okay since she was really wanting to get home and soak in a tub of hot water. But her thoughts were interrupted when they came around the corner and saw something strange on their street, "There's a car parked in front of our house."

"Your mother… or uncle?" Ryuuji guessed. The car was large and black, with heavily tinted windows. If it was a little longer, it would look like those stretch limousines that celebrities used.

"No… I don't think so." Ami knew it was a possibility, but her mother was supposed to be shooting a movie in Kyoto and her uncle…

"It has diplomatic plates." Ryuuji could see more when they got closer to the car. A sticker on the window had the Roman alphabet letters 'AU' prominently displayed. "AU..."

"Austria? Do we know anyone from Austria?" Ami asked.

"I think Noto worked with a disaster recovery team from Austria, but… Waitaminit, 'AU' isn't Austria!"

"Australia!" both of them shouted and ran toward the car. There was only one reason they could think of, for a car with Australian markings to be here.

One of the back doors opened before they made it to the limo and a tall blond woman came running toward them. "Ami, Ryuuji!" Deena cried out.

"Deena!" both of them called her name as they collided in a hug in the middle of the street.

.

A few moments later, the scene sort-of repeated itself. As expected, Ami and Ryuuji had invited their dear friend into their house. Deena was thrilled since she had been looking forward to seeing Yasuko and little Tatsuya.

The three of them were walking to the nursery when Taiga stepped out and looked up at the three tall people she almost bumped into.

"Aiko-chan!" Deena swooped the short girl up into her arms and gave her a big hug.

"Wait! Deena-chan, that's not _hmpf_?" Ryuuji tried to warn their Aussie friend, but Ami covered her husband's mouth.

Ami had a mischievous look in her violet eyes. She watched Taiga's surprised face as she was cuddled like a little girl. For some reason, this little misunderstanding was exceedingly satisfying to Ami and she didn't want it to end just yet. But it didn't last too long, even without Ryuuji's attempted warning.

"Um… you're not Aiko-chan, are you?" Deena asked worriedly. Several things had rung alarm bells in her mind. This girl was too light. She was too short. The chest was too small. Her body had gone stiff and she wasn't reacting to Deena's hug at all.

"What clued you in?" Taiga asked irritably.

"A number of things, really." Deena said while remembering the conversations about who Aiko-chan looked like. Deena had a pretty good idea of who she had just seized and apologized while putting the little person back down, "You must be Aisaka-san. I'm terribly sorry for grabbing you like that. I thought you were…"

"I know who you thought I was." Taiga snapped. She didn't like being compared to the grade schooler, especially now that the fourth grader was both taller and bigger in the… chest. _But that isn't this blond giant's fault._ Taiga took a deep breath and tried to calm down. _She just mistook me for someone she cares a lot for. She wasn't trying to insult me._ Unclenching her fists, Taiga sighed and told Deena, "I'm sorry for letting it get to me and taking it out on you. It's just that… that little girl is so amazing and I'm…"

"You're the Kendo girl!" Deena exclaimed. She remembered something else about Taiga and her excitement was blasting out of her expressive face. "Ami showed me the video of your match. You were so awesome!"

 _Awesome!?_

Taiga was stunned. She glared at Ami then looked at Deena to see if the tall blond was serious or was picking on her.

"I am the mother of your child. You have to try and save me if she attacks." Ami said quietly as she clung to Ryuuji's jacket. Ami's acquisition of Taiga's contest DVD had been a point of contention between the two of them for a while.

But Taiga's anger diminished when she saw that Deena was honestly thrilled to meet her.

"She's a fan of Japanese culture." Ryuuji explained to Taiga's confusion, "There aren't many things more culturally Japanese than Kendo."

"If you have another match while I am in town, please allow me to come and watch. You will, won't you?" Deena begged.

"I'm not really…" Taiga was about to suggest that she should go see a professional event.

"Please! I beg of you!" Deena bowed so low that her head was lower than Taiga's, which was difficult for someone of her stature.

"Aigh! Stop bowing to me. It's creeping me out." Taiga backed away from the resolute Aussie.

"Please, I really want to see your performance live… just once. Please?" Deena insisted.

"Okay fine, do what you want!" Taiga said and tried to turn away but was suddenly snatched up into the air again.

"Domo arigato gozaimasu!" Deena squealed as she wrapped Taiga into another hug. Taiga wasn't as stiff this time, but enough that Deena realized… "I did it again, didn't I?"

"At least you're aware of it." Taiga grumbled. Her attitude made her sound more upset than she really was. Indeed, being called 'awesome' and the begging to see her perform, had seriously warmed her heart to this Aussie… if she could just tone down the creepy touchy-feely stuff.

"Deena-chan," Ami said sweetly, "be a good girl and put Taiga down so I can show off my baby."

"Baby!" Deena promptly set Taiga down and followed Ami into the nursery.

The departure of Ami and Deena left Ryuuji and Taiga in the hallway in a mild state of shock as they waited for the residual frenetic energy to die down.

"Is she always like that?" Taiga finally asked.

"Not always, but when she gets excited…" Ryuuji replied.

"What is she doing here? Doesn't she live in Australia? I mean… that's pretty far, right?" Taiga wondered while she watched the open door that led to the nursery.

"Yeah… it's pretty far." Taiga's comment made him think. "Something tells me that this isn't just a social call."

"What?" Taiga asked as she turned to face Ryuuji.

"It might be nothing but," Ryuuji bit his lip while he considered his options but he knew he would probably need this favor, "we might need you to take care of Tatsuya more often. Will that be a problem?"

"Not for me." Taiga replied. She didn't have to explain her answer though.

Ryuuji was aware of the issues his mother was having with Taiga, but if his suspicions were correct, there may not be any other options.

.

In the nursery, little Tatsuya was wide awake. He hadn't been asleep long when all the squealing just outside his room had awakened him. He looked around the room for what might have made the noise, but didn't see anything. Then he got distracted by his foot. He could grab it with his little hands and discovered that it tasted pretty good. But the inspection of the immediate universe had to wait. The door opened and the blue haired mommy came in. Only recently had he been able to differentiate all the mommies that took care of him. There was the orange haired mommy, the pink haired mommy, the yellow haired mommy, and the blue haired mommy. He let go of his foot and opened his arms up wide. The blue haired mommy was was the best in his opinion. She smelled like the yummy food that he liked the most.

"He's so cute!" Deena said as she bent over the cradle.

"Looks like he wants to be picked up." Ami smiled down at her little boy. His arms thrown wide and the expectant smile on his face always warmed her heart. "Do you want to hold him?"

"Can I?" Deena pleaded.

"Actually, it would be a big help if you did. I still need to empty these milk jugs." Ami grouched.

"Sure." Deena took the child from Ami and pulled him into a safe hold. She was surprised at how light he was. But then, she didn't do a lot with infants, so she didn't have much to reference against. Peripherally, she knew that Ami was taking off her shirt and bra, but she only had eyes for the little package of joy in her arms. Actually… he wasn't looking all that joyful at the moment. "He looks… confused?"

"You're a new face. Give him some time to get used to you." Ami advised as she finished extricating the full collection bags from the auto-milkers in her bra. By the time she finished getting cleaned up and into a house blouse, Tatsuya was giggling and tugging on strands of Deena's short blond locks. Ami wondered if Tatsuya might be confusing Deena with Yasuko, since they had similar hair color.

"Hey, don't pull so hard!" Deena laughed while she pried his little hand loose from her hair and offered her finger for him to clutch instead.

"You'll be staying with us, I hope. We do have the room for you here." Ami asked cheerfully. There were several guest bedrooms, and she looked forward to chatting with the foreign friend she had made during that incredible year. But Ami was concerned by the unexpectedly sad look on Deena's face after she made the offer.

"Oh… I appreciate the invitation, but I'm… here for work." Deena replied.

"Work? What does the Royal Australian Air Force need in Tokyo?" Ami asked.

"I'm working for DFAT again." Deena revealed. She bit her lip because she knew that Ami was smart enough to figure out what that meant.

"So, you're here for us? But, we aren't performers any more." Ami could see that her friend was conflicted. Deena seemed happy to be here but it was like she had to do something she didn't want to do.

"That's the reason they sent me." Deena looked up from the baby so Ami could see the tears in her eyes, "I'm supposed to use our friendship to convince all of you… not to give up on your entertainment careers."

Tatsuya could sense the mood change from the person whose arms he was in, and it carried over to him. In moments, he was bawling to give an audible presence to Deena's silent tears.

Ami was upset at first. But she knew it wasn't Deena's fault. She had been given orders by someone with power… an uncaring someone who didn't know how it might hurt the person who had to carry out those orders. _But I care! I care when my friends get hurt, dammit! I should tell Deena to just tell her bosses to go to hell. But… that wouldn't be fair to her. Just because I threw my career away, doesn't mean I should ask her to do the same._ Ami took a deep breath and firmly told Deena, "Regardless of why you came, you're my friend, so you're staying here."

"But..."

"No butts!" Ami folded her arms and declared imperiously, "If you want me to listen to anything you have to say, you have to agree to this."

"Well… it seems I have no choice then." Deena now had a smile on her face, even if there were still tears on her cheeks, "Thank you, Ami."

.

 **Wednesday morning, April 20th – The walk to the Meiji Affiliated Schools**

* * *

Suzume and Umeki were walking on either side of Aiko-chan. With the school uniforms they were wearing, it should have looked like two high school girls escorting their grade school friend, but with Aiko-chan's 154 centimeter height, which was three centimeters taller than Umeki, it was hard to pull off that appearance. None of them minded though.

Even Umeki wasn't upset about being shorter than the grade-schooler. She knew that Aiko-chan was a special case since she was a… _Oh yeah, she's not a performer any more. Now she's just a tall girl. I hope she's not too sad about that. At least, she doesn't seem sad._

Indeed, Aiko-chan's excitement was bubbling over. If anything, she looked _too_ happy. Both Suzume and Umeki started to wonder if Aiko-chan was pushing herself to look happy for their sake.

"You sure are cheerful this morning." Suzume observed.

"Yup! How could I be anything but cheerful? I'm going to school with my two best friends and with Yuri-sensei teaching again, I don't know how I could be any happier!"

"I guess… when you put it that way." Suzume was convinced that Aiko-chan's mood was real just when the bouncing and bubbling pre-teen came to an abrupt stop.

"Aiko-chan?" Umeki turned to see a look of complete shock on her friend's face.

"Is something wrong?" Suzume asked. But the shock morphed into absolute delight and her immobility ended when she took off at a run, shrieking all the way.

"Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeena!" the orange-gold haired girl in the grade-school uniform attracted all the attention on the street as she quickly closed the distance and then jumped into the waiting arms of the blond giantess.

Suzume and Umeki couldn't believe what they were seeing. The tall woman easily plucked Aiko-chan out of the air and spun her around in a tight hug. All this despite the fact that she seemed to be encumbered with several gift bags. Such a commotion got the attention of the teachers that awaited the students at the gate and they descended on the pair at the same time that Suzume and Umeki caught up with them.

"Somebody tell this foreign yankee to get lost. She has no business here." a physical education teacher said irritably.

"Ah sensei," Suzume winced at the embarrassment she was about to deliver to a teacher, "she speaks fluent Japanese."

"Sensei, I apologize for the commotion but," Deena said as she opened her jacket to reveal the temporary ID badge she wore underneath, "I _do_ have permission to be on the school grounds."

The physical education teacher was taken aback that this foreigner had understood his insulting words, but that was nothing compared to the embarrassment from the intimidation he was feeling. Deena had taken a step toward the man and was now standing close enough that the twenty centimeter difference in their height was extremely apparent. On top of that, she moved with a physical prowess that spoke of confidence and capability. He was fortunate that one of his peers came to his rescue while he was trying to figure out just what to say.

"Welcome to the Meiji Affiliated Schools." another teacher said with a polite but far from welcoming smile, "May I ask what business you have here today?"

"Of course!" Deena said cheerily, "I brought a presentation that I requested to show to the classes of my friends, Suzume-chan, Umeki-chan, and Aiko-chan. But your Principal decided that it should be shown to the whole school. I do hope you're looking forward to it."

"Deena-chan, what is it?" Aiko-chan pleaded.

"Is it something from Australia?" Umeki asked.

"You'll see! Now let's get you girls to class so you don't miss the announcement." Deena answered mysteriously. Dozens of students followed after the four girls as they headed into the school building.

The two teachers were left standing at the gate as a parade of students hurried by. Rumors already started about what kind of exciting thing might be in store for them.

.

 **Wednesday morning, April 20th – Tokushima University**

* * *

A large room of mostly bored students stirred with minimalist curiosity as their lecture was interrupted by a messenger bringing a note to the instructor. The lecturer read the note then turned to the room and called for, "Hisamitsu Noto?"

"Yes, hakase?" Noto replied. All eyes in the room turned to him slowly. It wasn't often that someone was called out of a class, but it wasn't unheard of either.

"Pack your things. It seems that you will be needed elsewhere for the remainder of the day." And with that, the professor went back to his lecture while Noto packed up and left the room as quietly as he could.

As soon as he made it into the hallway, he was greeted by one of the college staff and a man that looked like he had just stepped out of a post-apocalypse themed movie.

"Hisamitsu-san, you are an acquaintance of Kashii Nanako and you can translate English?" the staff person asked.

"Yes. Is Nanako in trouble?" Noto asked with concern.

"Not at all." the staff person smiled, "You see, this gentleman is a distinguished visitor. Will you take care of him for me?"

"Yes, certainly." Noto looked at the man again and noticed how his sinister looks were vaguely similar to his friend Ryuuji. Turning to him he asked in English, #How can I help you?#

.

Nanako was seated in the first row and valiantly trying to pay attention to the lecture. It was one of the business classes that was required for fashion majors. The business aspect of fashion didn't really interest her but she was a diligent student… or tried to be. And besides, even if the lecture was boring, it was better than overhearing the nasty comments that many of the other students were making about Hisako. Even if the media furor died down after Ryuuji exposed the bastards who were behind it all, there were still a lot of bad feelings for the black haired girl with the troubled past.

Nanako was hearing some of those comments now, since their teacher had been called out of the room for some urgent matter. But all conversations died down when the instructor came back into the room looking excited for once.

 _Thank the gods, maybe his monotone won't put me to sleep today._ Nanako hoped. But she didn't believe there was much chance of that. This professor's picture should be in the dictionary under the word 'boring'.

"Class, we have a special visitor today. Since most of you are in the university's fashion program, you might know of him. He is already a successful designer and a talented businessman. He is living proof that you can do both if you try." the professor announced.

Nanako was impressed that he actually sounded interested in what he was saying today, but she wondered who he had managed to guest-lecture to his class, with his meager charisma. She was about to take a sip of her canned coffee when she saw Noto enter the room. _What? He's not a fashion designer! What the hell is he doing in this class? He's supposed to be taking much more intense business classes than this lame one._

Nanako's surprise jumped straight to shock when she saw who followed Noto into the room. He was tall, compared to most Japanese men, and wearing a suit that positively screamed who he was. The style would be described as avant-garde neo-gothic with it's emphasis on angles, leather, and buckles.

"Hellivin!" someone else in the room gasped his name before she could find any words.

"Who?" others, who were less familiar with the style, asked.

"Good morning, my name is Hisamitsu Noto. I am a fellow student at this university and have been asked to assist Mr. Hellivin with translation as he speaks very little Japanese. For those of you who do not know who he is, Hellivin is an international brand based in Australia. If any of you watched the recent broadcast of the Melbourne Fashion Festival, my good friend, Takasu Ryuuji was wearing a Hellivin original when he escorted his wife, Kawashima Ami, down the red carpet." Noto made the statement as more of a challenge than announcement. He watched the room to see if anyone dared to disparage his friends.

There were a few gasps, but no-one spoke. Hellivin too was watching the room, until his gaze found Nanako. Then his face burst into a huge smile. He raised his hand to point directly at the the purple haired Nanako and cried out something with great satisfaction.

"I found you!" Noto translated. He too looked at Nanako, but he wasn't surprised at the man's excited display since the visiting Australian had already told him who he was looking for.

Hellivin strode across the room to where Nanako sat. Still smiling and looking into her eyes, he slammed his hands down on her desk and said some rapid English that Nanako could barely keep up with.

"I want you, Kashii Nanako, to work with me. Promise me you will consider this offer and I will give this class my best performance on what it takes to do international business in the fashion industry." Noto translated the words for Nanako and for the others in her class to hear.

"Yes!" Nanako yelped. Her usual calm demeanor was shaken to it's roots. Having always been a fan of Hellivin's designs, she couldn't help but be swept up in the excitement he had brought into the room.

"All right then," the Asian looking man with the Aussie accented English said to the room, "listen up and listen well, mates. The things I am going to tell you won't be found in any textbook. They're the lessons I have learned in building my own empire."

Infected by the energy of their surprise lecturer, the room was abuzz with movement as people sat up in their seats, pulled out notepads, and prepared to hear the words of wisdom from someone who had actually made it to a place where most of them aspired to be.

Noto translated as quickly as he could but the man was often caught up in his own enthusiasm and Noto had to occasionally ask him to repeat himself. The class didn't mind though. The pauses gave them a chance to catch up with their notes.

 _Is this it? Are we finally going to be able to put these bad times behind us and be happy again?_ Nanako's thoughts echoed the hopefulness that she was feeling. She hoped that all of her friends were feeling the happiness that was blooming inside her now.

.

 **Wednesday morning, April 20th – Hachinohe**

* * *

Near the northern end of the island of Honshu, 560km from Tokyo, and bordering the Pacific ocean, the town of Hachinohe basked in the Spring sunlight as it spread over gently sloping river valleys between the hills and the sea. While not nearly the megalopolis of Tokyo, there is still a distinct downtown area and sprawling streets with many houses and shops.

In the middle of Hachinohe's sprawl and just south of the downtown district, there is a splash of green where tall trees still grow. Almost hidden in the foliage are three Shinto shrines and a Buddhist Temple that act like their own downtown area as they are surrounded by their own sprawl of black and gray gravestones.

Of late, the temples, shrines, and cemetery's had sadly been quite busy. Although Hachinohe had been spared the worst of the tsunami's destruction, many families in the stricken areas had their family tomb in Hachinohe.

On this bright but cold April morning, as he walked away from the family tomb that he had visited too many times in the last few weeks, Haruta was sure that there was no more happiness left anywhere in the world.

.

* * *

 **Glossary**

 **Omiai** : a matchmaking event designed to lead to courtship and marriage.


End file.
